Unseeing
by Theronis
Summary: Echokit overhears a strange conversation...about her. From then on, she strives to be able to perform (to the best of her abilities) all her duties-blind or not. (Sorry if some parts of the story are over-used (like Dark Forest Training) I will try to make it unique!) (My first fan-fiction) I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS; THANKS FOR THINKING THAT I'M EPIC ENOUGH TO! (Rated T for violence)
1. Allegiances

**A/N: This is my first ever fan-fiction story (and I don't know how to use fan-fiction so help will be appreciated!)** **I will only be doing the ThunderClan allegiances (and the leader, deputy, meds and other important characters of other Clans)** **FYI this is a Warriors by Erin Hunter fan-fiction** **This takes place somewhere before Bluestar's prophecy I would estimate.** **(Apprentices are in italics)** **(This is so fun!)**

 **Allegiances** :

 **ThunderClan:**

Leader: Patchstar (black and white she-cat, amber eyes) stern but understanding

Deputy: Runningstream (pale ginger tom, green eyes) gentle, smart _(Father to Echokit, Rosekit, and Finchkit)_

Medicine Cat: Larksong (tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes) kind and gentle _(Thistlepaw)_

Warriors:

Brindletail: (pale grey brindled she-cat, amber eyes) kind but strong

Foxwhisker: (dark ginger tom with leaf-green eyes) speedy, good hunter, fun _(Featherpaw)_

Robinflight: (dark brown she-cat, blue eyes) stern, loyal and committed _(Reedpaw)_

Briarflower: (black she-cat with yellow eyes) sly and strong

Pineleaf: (dark brown-ginger tom, green eyes) fun, strong and demanding

Birdclaw: (small, white tom, blue eyes) strong and vicious

Cedarflame: (dark russet tom, deep green eyes) cranky, sarcastic and solitary _(Bloompaw)_

Apprentices:

Thistlepaw: (pale grey tom, blue eyes) excitable and eager

Featherpaw: (silver she-cat, green eyes) gentle and swift

Reedpaw: (ginger tom, amber eyes) quick and strong

Bloompaw: (pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes) bubbly, energetic and encouraging

Queens:

Dappleheart: (dappled she-cat, green eyes) kind and stern _(Mother to Echokit, Rosekit, and Finchkit)_

Kits:

Echokit: (pale grey, beautiful aqua eyes) determined but shy.

Rosekit: (dark ginger, almost red she-cat, dark blue eyes) sweet but annoying

Finchkit: (golden tom, green eyes) eager, strong

Elders:

Darkfoot (grey tom, black foot, green eyes) grumpy and rude

Sweetbriar (pale russet she-cat, one blind eye, one green eye) sweet and gentle

 **WindClan:**

Leader: Stormstar (pale grey she-cat with gorse-green eyes) wise and a good leader

Deputy: Rabbitfur (scrawny brown tom with pale green eyes) calm but hostile when needed _(Berrypaw)_

Medicine cat: Gorsefur (pale brown tom with amber eyes) silent and watchful

Warriors:

Brightfoot (ginger she-cat with brown eyes) stern and hostile

Apprentices:

Berrypaw: (dusty brown she-cat with bright blue eyes) playful, smart and quick-thinking

 **ShadowClan:**

Leader: Scorchstar (huge dark grey tom, amber eyes) vicious but intelligent

Deputy: Mousefang (small brown she-cat, yellow eyes) deceitful, sly, good at battle plans

Medicine Cat: Crowflash (dappled brown she-cat, white flash on chest, green eyes) smart, quick-thinking, gentle

Warriors:

Scarstripe (white tom with scars, amber eyes) cruel and quick to anger

 **RiverClan:**

Leader: Ripplestar (large, silky gray tom, ice blue eyes) stern, calm and thoughtful

Deputy: Pebblefoot (long-furred silver she-cat, deep blue eyes) understanding but fierce in battle _(Splashpaw)_

Medicine Cat: Sandybank (pale ginger tom with green eyes) goofy, smart _(Poppypaw)_

Warriors:

Muddypelt: (dark brown tabby tom, yellow eyes) unforgiving and battle-hungry

Minnowstream (sleek grey she-cat with deep blue eyes) friendly and a good swimmer

Apprentices:

Splashpaw: (beautiful pale grey she-cat, amber eyes) playful, energetic and a quick learner

Poppypaw: (small calico she-cat, green eyes) wise, gentle and highly respected

 **A/N**

 **Hope that was sufficient, please review if I have clashing personalities etc. (once had a gentle and mean cat in an OC thing O.o)**

 **I'd also love character submissions.**

 **Oh, and FYI...**

 **I won't have a set upload time...I am very easily distracted and I will never ever remember on time. I'll try to update allegiances every so often.**

 **Also, if you're confused, Echokit is the main character (I already have an OC called Echomist so any name suggestions?)**

 **Sorry for asking for so many reviews etc., I don't know if I'll even get one :P**

 **Otherwise, I'll go for Echofrost or Echowhisper. (I also like the names Echodawn and Echodusk)**

 **However, please send in character suggestions and warrior names for kits/apprentices if you do review, otherwise I may just use a name generator!**

 **Anyways, see ya.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hope you enjoy! (Please tell me if K+ is the right rating) FYI she has Amblyopia. (Don't be boring and look it up! Wait to see what it is! Also, I mean no offence to anyone who has it and please tell me if I get symptoms wrong. Also, apparently Amblyopia can be cured by spending ten days in total darkness...Echokit won't be doing that sadly.)**

 **Thanks to snootsnoot for reviewing!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

Echokit's POV:

Sunlight was filtering through the woven branches in the nursery. Blinking, Echokit sat up. She immediately fell again as Finchkit knocked her over.

"Hey!" she hissed, getting to her feet.

"Oops!" he called back over his shoulder as he bounded past. Sighing, Echokit followed him into the camp. The bright colours instantly overwhelmed her slightly blurred vision. Finchkit glanced back at her and shook his head sadly. _Why did he do that?_ Being the youngest kit, Echokit was often being left out. Rosekit bounded up beside her.

"Guess what!" she yowled, causing some nearby warriors to glare at her.

"What?" sighed Echokit. She really was fed up with her annoying siblings.

"Thistlekit, Featherkit and Reedkit are becoming apprentices!"

"Good for them," Echokit grumbled.

Finchkit glanced at her again, then exchanged glances with Rosekit. Just then, Finchkit snapped his head around.

"Look! There's Patchstar!" Rosekit yowled.

 _Where?_ Echokit strained her eyes to see. She could just make out a blurred black and white shape. _Rosekit must have good eyesight._

Larksong's POV:

She sat with her tail tucked neatly around her paws. In front of her sat her new apprentice, Thistlepaw. The young, pale grey tom could barely suppress his excitement.

"I saw _StarClan_!" he exclaimed over and over again, as though repeating it would make StarClan appear again in front of him.

Larksong stifled a mew of amusement. She had to get back to camp, now.

Patchstar's POV:

"Patchstar!" Larksong called as she burst into the leaders' den.

Groggily, Patchstar looked up. "Yes?"

"I-I met a StarClan cat." Larksong mewed breathlessly.

"And?"

"He-he...as a kit...Echokit...same...help her..." Larksong replied incoherently.

"Go to sleep," Patchstar cut in firmly, "we'll talk later, once you've rested."

Larksong's POV:

But Larksong didn't rest. She stayed, pacing, in her den. Thistlepaw was exploring the territory with his siblings. She was waiting. Finally, Echokit left the nursery. Calling her over, Larksong said that they would be playing games.

"I'm going to hide somewhere in camp, and you must find me," she explained.

"Ok!" Echokit said brightly.

Larksong hid just inside the nursery. Echokit walked past her, once, twice.

"I can smell you!" Echokit cried out in frustration. "Where are you?!"

Larksong padded out calmly. "Well done, I didn't think you could smell me." she praised the young kit.

Echokit's POV:

Sitting upright in her nest, she thought she heard voices just outside the nursery. Prodding Finchkit awake, she pointed with her tail.

"Sounds like Dappleheart and Larksong," she said.

"Yeah." Finchkit agreed.

"Let's spy on them!" Echokit mewed.

Finchkit looked uncertain. "Err, I don't think we should..."

"C'mon, no-one'll know!" she whined. Finally, he relented.

"What's wrong with Echokit?" asked Dappleheart, she seemed worried.

Echokit and Finchkit exchanged glances.

"What do you know?" Larksong's reply was guarded.

"Only that she can't see as well as other cats," Dappleheart replied.

Echokit stared at Finchkit. He looked guiltily down at his paws. "You knew!" she hissed.

"Mother told me not to tell," he mumbled.

"But-"

"I know." he cut her off. "Listen."

"Well, I think I know what's wrong," Larksong began, Echokit leaned closer to the bramble wall, "She...she has a rare disease, known as Lazy Eye. Her vision is impaired. It will...slowly...get worse...and one day, she'll be completely blind."

"What?!" yelped Dappleheart in horror. "But she can't ever be a warrior then!"

"I know, that's why I'm worried." Larksong replied, "she has as much spirit as any warrior, and the Clan will suffer from losing a valuable warrior like her. And...I don't know what her future could hold. She can't be a medicine cat, I already have an apprentice. She might simply have to retire."

"No!" Dappleheart exclaimed in protest.

"But don't tell her just yet. Let her enjoy herself while she can. Maybe she can even train as an apprentice before...you know." Larksong replied.

Echokit and Finchkit looked at each other in horror.

"I didn't know...how bad..." Finchkit wheezed.

"Are you okay?" asked Echokit.

"Fine...just shocked," he replied.

Echokit just nodded. Her mind began swirling, thoughts of being the youngest elder, never seeing again...bright colours spun in her head as she tried to picture everything she'd ever seen, trying to preserve it. Her last thought was Finchkit's worried face, staring at her with his eyes wide with shock before she fell to the ground and blacked out.

* * *

 **Well, how was that?**

 **Please review and I hope to upload the next one soon (however I won't always update this fast, only when I have inspiration). Also, any name suggestions for Finchkit, Rosekit, Thistlepaw, Reedpaw and Featherpaw? Check out the previous chapter for looks and personality.**

 **And I still cannot imagine Finchkit as ginger...it sounds like a pale grey cat's name. Ugh, I wish he wasn't ginger, but then that would mess up the story...**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey! Here's chapter 2! How will Echokit react? Still looking for name ideas! Hope it's a good chapter!** **Thanks to Eagleheart12-Flame for reviewing! I updated the allegiances page with two new OC's, Cedarflame and Bloompaw from snootsnoot.**

Echokit's POV:

"Will she be okay?"

"What happened?!"

"Poor mite!"

Echokit sleepily opened her eyes. She could just make out blurred shapes moving in front of her.

"She's awake!"

"Oh, my kit, what happened?!"

"Someone fetch Larksong!"

Her eyes focused and the shapes became normal. Suddenly, the previous night's events came back to her. _My normal. Not everyone elses'._

She unsteadily rose to her feet. Dappleheart covered her in licks.

"Oh, my kit. My precious kit! Are you okay?"

She moaned. Larksong pushed her way forward. "What happened?"

"She wouldn't wake up this morning and she had a fever," said Finchkit with a warning glance at Echokit. His eyes were dark with worry.

"Yeah, I went to get Thistlepaw and he said she had a fever." Rosekit cut in. Her eyes were wide in fright.

Echokit remembered that Finchkit knew exactly what had happened. Rosekit had no idea.

Larksong looked up. She too looked worried. _Did she know we were spying?_

"Give her some thyme." she ordered Thistlepaw. He did what she said.

"Here, Echokit. This is celandine. It's good for fevers."

"Okay."

Finchkit's POV:

 _She can't tell them she knows. She'll get in trouble and the whole Clan will find out...if they don't already know. She has to keep quiet!_

Echokit's POV:

"Where are you going? Larksong confined you to the nursery until you feel better."

"I _do_ feel better."

"She has to tell you that you're okay." Finchkit persisted.

"Just give me a break!"

"Fine, just don't blame me when you get caught."

"I won't," she replied, then added under her breath, "say you didn't know."

"Hey!" he sighed wearily. "Good night, don't stay out too late."

She watched him pad back into the nursery. Her eyesight seemed better at night, or maybe it was just the harsh full moon. Half the Clan was at the Gathering.

Cedarflame's POV:

"Where are you off to?" he growled.

"What?" the tiny, grey kit seemed terrified. Her eyes seemed milky...no, it was just the light.

"I said, where are you going?" he padded closer.

"J-just for some fresh air."

Sighing, he let her go. "Just stay in camp and call me if you need anything."

"I will!" she called back.

Grunting, he settled back onto his paws. Luckily he wasn't asked to go to the Gathering. He couldn't cope with it...yet. He missed Brookflame, the pain was still there. His head ached and he had to sit down. He felt sleep grab him in it's powerful paws, dragging him into the welcome blackness.

 **Who noticed the sneaky eye treatment she slipped in? Hope this wasn't too short, I just wanted to get this done. Snootsnoot, I hope Brookflame is an okay name, it just...fitted.**

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey! This is a shorter chapter, sort of a filler but it is VERY important to the story (I actually got my inspiration for the story doing something similar to this!). Cue cringiness at the over-used Dark Forest theme.**

Echokit's POV:

She swiped at the moss ball and swiftly closed her eyes. She heard it thumping against the thorn barrier about a mouse-length away to her right. She raced towards it, fervently hoping that she didn't lose it again. Her paws closed on something soft. _Got it!_ But it felt warm...she realized that it was someone's tail. A whiff of the scent and she knew who it belonged to; Cedarflame.

"Hey!" he hissed.

"Sorry!" she whimpered and then ran away.

Cedarflame's POV:

He watched the young kit in interest. _What's she doing?_ He perked up his ears in fascination as once again she swiped the moss ball and, closing her eyes, ran after it. _This can't be some innocent kit-game, can it? What if it's for a reason? What if-_ He heard a faint rustling. He had only just woken up, and he cursed silently to himself. _What if a badger came to camp and attacked her while I was snoring away?_ Eyes and ears alert, he padded threateningly towards the rustling. _Bloompaw._ His apprentice seemed to sense his presence and sheepishly climbed through the barrier in the most dignified way she could manage.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I-er, well, I wanted to explore the territory."

" _What?!_ " he mewed incredulously. "You've been an apprentice for a moon!"

She uncertainly began padding back to her den.

"Come back! You still haven't told me what you were really doing."

But his apprentice ignored him. Bloompaw padded silently back to her den and he settled back into a still silence, the only sounds coming from Echokit and the moss ball. _Why does every cat have secrets? First Echokit, then Bloompaw..._

Mapleshade's POV:

She watched the young kit in interest. She had the makings of a fine hunter, but her small, slim build made her look not much of a fighter. That could be to her advantage if she received Dark Forest training. The kit certainly was...not going to give up. She also seemed very loyal. She wouldn't train in the Dark Forest willingly...but luckily, Yewleaf had cursed Echokit with the same illness Yewleaf herself had suffered from. Yewleaf had then visited Larksong in a dream and pretended to be a StarClan cat...Mapleshade let out an involuntary shudder...the ThunderClan cat had fallen for it...Mapleshade just wished Ravenwing had been as dim-witted...but Yewleaf could be convincing. Now that the kit was cursed, she would _want_ to train in the Dark Forest. Mapleshade could turn her evil, strike her hated former Clan from within. Mapleshade didn't know quite what was so special about the kit...she was, of course, just a normal ThunderClan kit...like Mapleshade had been, at one point. Maybe it was because she was so unextraordinary that she would be best suited to destroying her Clan from within...unknowingly, of course...unless she vowed her allegiance to the Dark Forest, she wouldn't know of their true plans.

 **Well! That was so fun to write!**

 **What do YOU think Bloompaw's secret is? And isn't Larksong a little bit dumb...or is Yewleaf good at convincing? And that name, Yewleaf! (like deathberries...deathberries=yew berries. Of course, Yewberry sounds just...evil. Maybe I'll do a backstory for her. Is the Dark Forest idea too...cliche? (can't do the e with the diagonal hyphen on my laptop, sorry.)**

 **snootsnoot: you can choose a background Warriors character and I will try to write a one-shot on that character. (EXAMPLE: Frostfur: ThunderClan; first arc/Bluestar's prophecy (is she in BP?))**

 **Please check out my poll on names for Echokit!**

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Ok, so I am writing this 2 days in advance. At the moment I'm writing 1 chapter a day and I hope that lasts. To be honest, I don't have a plot outlined yet...oops.**

 **Anyway, enjoy this: (it's also sort of a filler chapter but not really...).**

 **Also, I was fiddling around with the word, 'practice' and 'practise'. If you're British (according to a website) then this makes sense. If you're American (like my computer) 'practise' isn't a word. If you're anything else, (like me!) then it might depend. If it doesn't make sense, this practise is a verb.**

Bloompaw's POV:

"Hey! Echokit!" she called.

Echokit looked around. "Hi."

"What'cha doing?"

"Practising to be a warrior."

"With a moss ball?!"

"Yeah!" Echokit replied defensively.

"I would come help... practise...but I have apprentice duties," Bloompaw responded, sniggering.

"This is important! What if _you_ go blind?" Echokit demanded, then looked crestfallen. "Like any cats...ever do go blind."

Bloompaw's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Only elders _ever_ go blind, it makes a cat useless."

Hurt sparked in Echokit's eyes and without warning, she ran to the nursery.

 _What did I do now? It seems like I hurt every cat, some way or the other. Even cats from different Clans..._

Dappleheart's POV:

"Echokit! It's time to come inside!" she called.

"But why don't Finchkit and Rosekit have to?"

"Because they're bigger." _And more useful._

Dappleheart covered Echokit in licks. "Look at you! You're a mess! How did you get thorns in your pelt _again_? Did you get stuck in the thorn barrier?"

Echokit looked guiltily away, prompting Dappleheart to believe that she had struck too close to home.

As she curled around her youngest, weakest and worst kit, she thought with a sigh, _why did I have to have such a useless kit? Why can't she be more like her siblings?_

Runningstream's POV:

He watched his kits play in amusement. Rosekit and Finhckit bowled each other over, crashing into the legs of cats everywhere. Such healthy, eager and strong kits were a blessing to any Clan...but where was Echokit? She was his personal favourite. She reminded him of what he'd been like when he was a kit.

Dappleheart and Echokit left the nursery just then...or rather, Dappleheart _led_ Echokit out. Runningstream stifled a purr of amusement. _What was Echokit, a blind elder?_ Dappleheart lifted her tail off Echokit's spine and watched her go sadly. _Sadly? Did I imagine that?_

"Hey, Dappleheart!" he called. She glanced over before padding towards him.

"Hey," she mumbled.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern sparking in his gaze. "Is it Finchkit? Is he being cheeky again?"

"No, it's not him."

"Rosekit, then?"

"Not her either."

"Not...Echokit?"

Disbelief hit him when she nodded. Echokit, the quietest, calmest, least likely trouble-maker.

"Why?"

"She...she...Larksong...said...Echokit might go _blind_!" Dappleheart yowled, grief racking her body. A few cats glanced over and then hurried past, not wanting to get involved.

" _What_?!" he cried out. "No, no, there must be some mistake. Is Larksong definitely sure?"

"A S-StarClan cat came to her."

"No...no..." Runningstream sagged with sadness. He straightened up. "Does she know?"

Pausing for a fraction of a heartbeat, she replied, "No."

"Let's keep it that way."

Echokit's POV:

Her parents were talking, and from the looks they kept shooting her, she guessed it was about her. _Oh well. I'll prove them wrong! A blind cat_ can _be a warrior!_

As it grew dark, Runningstream came over. He nudged her playfully and told her to go to the nursery. He acted...well, normal. Sort of. His eyes were dark with worry and sadness. She nodded and whisked her tail comfortingly against his shoulder.

"Bye!" she called.

"B-goodnight." he replied softly.

Finchkit's POV:

 _Where was Echokit going?_ He could see her sneaking out. After a quick decision, he arose and padded silently after her.

"Echokit." he breathed in her ear.

Startled, she jumped around. "Wha-oh, it's _you_ ," she replied. "Goodnight."

" _Goodnight_?! Where are you sneaking off to? Don't think I haven't seen you, every night." he spat, standing on her tail so she couldn't move.

"Ow! Okay, okay, I'm training!"

He was so surprised he stepped backwards. Taking advantage of her freedom, Echokit leaped forward. _Not so fast you don't._ He grabbed her by her scruff.

"What are you _really_ doing?" he hissed.

"Training!"

"Why?"

"So I can be a warrior!"

Sadness clouded Finchkit's gaze. "But-you can't...no blind cat..."

"I'm not blind yet, and it's my choice what I become!" she spat, raking her claws across his face.

"Ow! What was that for?! I'm trying to help!" he said, watching her warily.

She took a step closer. "Help?"

He took a few steps back. "Yes, help," he replied evenly, before crashing into her and rolling her onto her back.

"If you don't let me go-"

"I won't let you go until you tell me what you're doing!"

"I told you!" anger edged her mew. "I'm throwing moss balls with my eyes closed and trying to find them from sound and scent!"

Finchkit let her go. "You want to become a warrior _this much_?"

She met his gaze. "I don't want to be _useless_."

"Well, it's too late to do anything tonight."

She tried to cut across him, but he held his tail over her mouth.

"But tomorrow I'll let you...I'll _help_ you."

Surprised, she looked up at him. "Really?"

"Yes."

 **How was that? I feel like it was too long...or short...like the length was off...oh, I don't know. Hang on, I checked and it's my longest chapter so far...1137 words...and I have a 520 word chapter...way too short! I'll aim for 700-1500 words each chapter...**

 **Poor Echokit, Bloompaw didn't MEAN to say something that hurtful...did she?**

 **Please review and please don't copy the story idea! I don't know if I can do this but if I can then I hold copyright rights for this story...is it phrased like that? If I can't, well, I hope no low-minded person steals the idea. If you really, really want to, PM me and we can work something out. That is, of course, if people like the idea. And no stealing the work/plagiarising it. Of course, that is if people like it. Just being careful!**

 **If you're waiting for something to read, please try Spirits by CodyWolfe. It's only just started but it sounds great.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey! this will be short, I want to start writing!**

 **Thank you so much to the three readers who followed and favourited this story:**

 **snootsnoot**

 **Eagleheart12-Flame**

 **The TRIGGERED Lemur**

 **Also, I try to write in advance so if you reviewed in the last chapter I'll only be able to answer (if it's not a PM) next chapter.**

* * *

Echokit's POV:

 _Finally!_ She'd just discovered the best way to find the moss ball! Deftly, she threw it up and then crouched, ears pricked and alert. She heard a soft 'thud' a tail-length in front of her, and she leaped-just to discover that the thud had been a drop of rain. More followed, and she tasted the air. A mossy, fresh smell hit her and she ran to retrieve the moss ball. She scrambled towards the nursery, the ground soft and slick. She over-estimated the distance and crashed into the thorny entrance. Thorn pricked her fur as she struggled to get free.

"Mouse-dung!" she cursed. The rain was harder now; it felt like hail. Still, she refused to open her eyes. She squirmed free and backed away from the barrier, thorns still pricking her pelt. Cautiously, she took a step forwards. Then another. Then another-there were the thorns. Ducking her head, she scrambled inside just in time; thunder rumbled and the rain became a downpour. She settled down in her nest, only to hear movement.

"Echokit?" it was Rosekit.

"Yes?" she murmured, stifling a yawn.

"I-I'm scared," Rosekit admitted.

"Go to sleep!" Echokit replied softly.

"But..." Rosekit was protesting weakly. Echokit sat up and lay beside her sister, grooming her.

'Go to sleep." she said, firmer this time.

Patchstar's POV:

Echokit was curled up in her nest, sleeping peacefully. Not for the first time, Patchstar had doubts about this. But she needed to see what the kit was capable of.

"Echokit!" she whispered, prodding her with a paw. "Get up!"

Echokit moaned and sat up. Her milky eyes were bleary with exhaustion. Patchstar felt a pang of pity. Ever since Larksong had told her, Patchstar had wondered what it must feel like; to be blind. Did it feel like fainting, falling into blackness? Or like dying?

"Come on, Echokit. Larksong and I are waiting. We want to speak to you."

Instantly, Echokit sat upright. Patchstar wondered how much she knew...no, Larksong said she didn't know.

"Okay," Echokit said, stifling a yawn.

Larksong's POV:

She watched the kit keenly. "Hey, Echokit!"

"Hi."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine." came an unsatisfying reply.

Come to think of it, Echokit had seemed tired recently. The kit stifled a yawn and said, "What are we doing?"

Larksong exchanged a glance with Patchstar. "Well, we'll be assessing your skills."

"Why?" said Echokit, sounding suspicious. "Finchkit and Rosekit and Reedpaw and Featherpaw didn't have their skills _assessed_."

"We only assess the skills of special kits."

Echokit was still suspicious. "Special?"

"Like...different." Patchstar supplied unhelpfully. Larksong glared at her.

"Just because I'm small and weak and b-small, doesn't mean I'm different!"

Larksong narrowed her eyes. _What did the kit know?_ "What about your eyesight?"

Taken off guard, Echokit backed away, eyes wide. "I-I...things are blurry."

Larksong nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "Yes. You're also different in that way. But remember, different isn't _bad_."

Echokit tipped her head to one side. "What will we be doing?"

"Straight to the point, just like your father," Patchstar observed.

"Well, we will be hiding and you must find us. Then, you must launch a surprise ambush." Larksong told her.

"Okay."

Echokit's POV:  


Guiltily, she shifted her paws. Was it that obvious? She hadn't meant to almost say blind! Larksong had seemed satisfied with her answer, but...and she said small twice! At least now they were treating her like normal...not really. Playing hide and seek with the most useless kit in all the Clans was not a leader-like activity. Or was it? She waited for ten heartbeats and then went to look around the camp.

Larksong's POV:

"Well done, Echokit!" she congratulated. The kit warmed at her praise.

"What now?" Echokit's eyes were brighter and although she was still yawning (and unsuccessfully attempting to stifle them), she seemed more awake than ever.

Patchstar glanced at Larksong.

"The same thing, but you have your eyes closed the whole time."

Echokit seemed excited at the challenge. Bouncing to her paws, she reminded Larksong of Bloompaw. But the similarities ended there. In personality and looks, they were each unique.

She hid just inside the dirt-place, behind the entrance, hoping that the stench would mask her scent. It didn't. Echokit found her almost instantly, quicker than when her eyes had been open.

"How did you find me?" she asked Echokit, genuinely puzzled.

"Oh, the smell of herbs in your fur smelled odd for the dirt-place and as I got nearer I heard you shifting your paws."

"Well done!" Larksong said, really meaning it this time.

Patchstar's POV:

She was hiding by the fresh-kill pile. She saw Echokit talking to Larksong and took the chance to cough, the feathers of the large sparrow on top tickling her throat. Echokit darted around, and Patchstar ducked her head, heart beating fast. _Did she hear me?_ Echokit padded slowly but surely over. _The best way to stalk_ ; noted Patchstar. As Echokit drew nearer, Patchstar walked swiftly but silently over to her den. Echokit turned her head. _Did she hear me? How did she hear me?!_ Patchstar panicked. She took a slow, steady step, wincing as she stood on a leaf. Echokit bounded over.

"Got you!" she cried joyfully.

"From scent or sound?" Patchstar asked.

'Both. I could smell you, but I already used scent to find Larksong so I tried to concentrate on noises. How'd I do?"

"Excellently." purred Patchstar. "Now run along, Dappleheart is calling you."

"And well done!" she called fondly after the kit's retreating back.

Larksong's POV:

Thoughtfully, she sorted out her herbs. Echokit seemed to have...practised stuff with her eyes closed...no, she can't have. Even though she seemed better than before...no, it was just because she was older, more experienced...by what, half a moon? No...maybe she goes out at night...Larksong decided to watch her.

 **How many times did I say 'stifling a yawn'? It should be my name! 'Unseeing' by Stifling a Yawn. I like it. It has a nice ring to it.**

 **Anyway, it's just to emphasize the problem with her night-time training.**

 **The next chapter will be insane, so please check back for it. It seriously...I just had a brainwave. It wasn't part of my original chapter but it'll happen. OMG I'm so excited for it! Man...now I have to write it like three days in advance...noooooooooooo.**

 **Word count: 1212 (Wait, can't you see that already? Oh, I'm just so proud that I'm doing two long chapters in a row! I mean, long for me. long for the 30 minutes I spend writing a day before doing something else...it's not that long.)**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey! This chapter is hectic...I had the BEST idea for this story...sorry if it's sad...what on EARTH happened to make her like this? You'll find out!**

 **BTW time-skip of maybe a moon.**

 **Oh and hello to all teachers of young students! I used my five 'question words'!**

 **Sorry, couldn't resist.**

 **Minor spoilers for those that haven't read Mapleshade's vengeance. very, very minor. Almost non-existent. Maybe later there will be real spoilers. Anyway, I advise you to read it, it's a great book.**

Larksong's POV:

What was Echokit doing, sneaking out at night? Where was she going? Why was she going? Who was responsible for this? How did she keep it a secret? Larksong's mind spun with questions as she followed Echokit. She had learned her lesson and she stayed far behind Echokit, only moving when the wind blew especially hard and staying downwind. Echokit glanced suspiciously behind her every so often, so Larksong hid in the undergrowth.

Echokit came into the training hollow and flung a moss ball to the other side. She then darted after it. Larksong realized that she had her eyes closed. A shiver went up her spine. _Since when was she so good at scenting and hearing?_ The wind was blowing hard and mixing scents around, and the noises of the branches swaying made it almost impossible for Larksong to hear even Echokit darting around.

When the moon rose to hang just above Larksong in the sky, a shimmering figure appeared.

"Hello, Echokit." it purred.

"M-Mapleshade?"

Larksong didn't think. _Mapleshade!_ The cat that killed her father's brother! Echokit knew her, was in league with her. She had missed part of the conversation while she was fuming. Echokit seemed afraid, crouching down. _Good._ Thought Larksong. _She deserves to feel intimidated._ Angrily, Larksong leaped into the clearing. Mapleshade, who had been bending over the kit, jumped up. Without a moment's thought, she swiped at Larksong, pinning her down. She flashed out her claws and sliced open Larksong's neck. Larksong's eyes went wide and a gurgling sound erupted from her throat.

"Now you see what happens to those who defy me." Mapleshade snarled to Echokit. "I'll give you until moon-high tomorrow to decide."

With a pang of regret, Larksong realized that Echokit had nothing to do with it. "E-Echokit..." she murmured.

Echokit ignored her with cold indifference.

"Echokit..." she said again as Mapleshade left.

In a flash, Echokit was beside her, her eyes wide with worry. "Why are you here? Did you...you followed me!" Echokit's voice went sharp in anger. "Why didn't you trust me? I was...I am just trying to be a better warrior. Not a useless one."

"You...knew..?" Larksong asked, the words hurting her throat.

"Yes, I knew. I overheard you talking to Dappleheart." Echokit replied scathingly. "Now let's get you back to camp."

"No...it's my time," Larksong told her softly.

Tears pricked Echokit's milky eyes. "B-but what will I tell the Clan? And what about Thistlepaw?"

Regret shone in Larksong's eyes. "I know, I wish this hadn't happened, but... I can hear the voices clearly now. Tell-tell the Clan that...I was collecting a herb...oak leaves...say that they are best collected at moon-high. They aren't, but only Thistlepaw knows that. Say I told you to come to help carry them, but I fell. Tell them that...but tell Thistlepaw the truth. All of it, including Mapleshade. He-he knows a lot...I'm leaving the Clan in safe paws. It's a half-moon gathering tomorrow night, tell him to go. He can get advice there. R-remind him not to give away too much...and Echokit? Tha-" Larksong went still, her body lifeless and growing rapidly cold.

Echokit crouched over her, her throat constricted.

"M-may you find good hunting, swift running and-and shelter where you sleep...may StarClan guide your path."

As she padded slowly back to camp to call cats to carry Larksong's body back, she felt Mapleshade padding beside her.

 _"_ Now you seee what happens to those who defy me...you have until moon-high tomorrow...do not disappoint me."

 **Sorry that this was so short, it's like a filler chapter. Sorry!**

 **WARNING: DO NOT READ THE A/N IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE CHAPTER AS IT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS AND PEANUTS**

 **(I recycled that joke from CodyWolfe, who, BTW actually deleted his account, so 'Spirits' doesn't exist.)**

 **Ok**

 **Seriously, I warned you.**

 **Enter at own risk!**

 **/|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||\**

 **(that was a security gate)**

 **Like my Feathertail quote? Sorry, it just sounded so RIGHT for the scene.**

 **Sorry for those who liked her, I killed her off because of a few reasons:**

 **I needed a plot twist**

 **I need a reason for...something**

 **I didn't enjoy writing about Larksong**

 **The reason I chose her was because:**

 **I always wrote larksong by mistake because I am bad at typing capital L's for some reason**

 **her name autocorrected to CLARKSON.**

 **Anyway, otherwise hope this chapter was good. What do YOU think will happen next?**

 **Please review!**


	8. Notice! (Going away)

**I'm going away for a few days so I won't be updating; sorry.** **Anyways, the other chapters should be enough for now.** **Sorry for the inconvenience if it is one!** **Bye!** **-from someone about to go to a stargazing game reserve**


	9. Chapter 7

**Firstly, I got THIS from a guest: (I did copy and paste)**

:Echokit: (pale grey, beautiful aqua eyes)

Described as a she in the summary/description, but since her father is ginger, she should be tortie or ginger (cream also works)

Darkfoot (grey tom, black foot, green eyes)

A grey cat can't have any black outside potential tabby markings or when chimera (two kittens that fused into one completely basically)

 **I highly appreciate your knowledgeable input, it was interesting (I didn't know that!) but as this is Warriors, there isn't much I can do. Well, there is...but in Warriors, genetics don't matter. Of course, there are people who like the facts, but I'm doing Echokit like this because that's how she popped into my mind. However, I appreciate that you took the time to send that and it has been noted. It was very interesting and, Guest, if you are reading this, thank you for sending that!**

 **Now without further ado, let's begin!**

Echokit's POV:

She was dreaming. _Running through the forest. Her eyesight was amazing-or at least normal. Her pelt was sleek and she felt well fed and fit. Twitching her whiskers, she heard a mouse. Stealthily, she snuck up on it...No! Larksong burst into the clearing in front of her, chasing the mouse away._

 _"Oh, sorry." Larksong mewed. "Can you help me? I'm looking for a special herb to heal you."_

 _Intrigued, Echokit followed. "Heal?"_

 _"The guilt." Larksong reminded her, a tad impatiently._

 _"Oh...okay."_

 _Suddenly, Echokit remembered. Larksong was dead...because of her._

 _Larksong glanced back, eyes soft with sympathy. "Sorry...I tried to warn you...Don't trust..."_

 _Echokit watched in horror as Larksong faded into nothing more than a shadow...before dissolving._

 _Looking down at her paws, she saw that they were stained in blood._

She woke with a start. Her nose was pushed into the cold body of Larksong. Thistlepaw sat beside her, eyes dark with worry.

"She...she's really gone," Echokit muttered.

"Yeah. I know. It's hard for everyone...I noticed you fell asleep, d'you want some herbs? At least I know how to do _that_." he said briskly, muttering the last bit with a bit of a snarl.

"Uh...no, I'm fine." murmured Echokit.

He looked at her seriously, and said in a soft tone, "Are you sure? This isn't like you. Did something happen? You can trust me, you know. I can help you."

She shuffled her paws, then, trying to look playful and carefree, asked, "D'ya wanna play moss ball?"

He glanced at the sky and shook his head regretfully. "Sorry Echokit, I have to go to the Moonstone."

Sadly, she watched him go. _Did he know anything? About me going blind?_ With a fright, she realised that he was going to speak with StarClan. _What will they tell him about me? What if Larksong is there and she tells him that I killed her? What if Mapleshade kills him too?_

Thistlepaw's POV:

He yawned as he trekked through the forest. Presently, he saw a pale ginger tom approaching with a young calico she-cat beside him.

"Hiya!" the tom greeted Thistlepaw.

"Hey," he said wearily.

"This here is my new apprentice, the best in her litter, Splashpaw!"

"Hey! Sandybank! I'm Poppypaw!" the calico she-cat yelped indignantly.

"Oops, my bad," Sandybank responded and with a flick of his tail, he tripped her.

"Sandybank! You're a medicine cat! You're supposed to _heal_ not _hurt_." Poppypaw said, prodding him with her paw as she scrambled back up and smoothed her ruffled pelt.

"Hey, Thistlepaw, do you think that watermint or juniper berries work better for bellyache?" Poppypaw asked, shooting Sandybank a hard glare.

Grudgingly, Thistlepaw let himself be drawn into conversation. "Well, the juniper berries just soothe it and I find watermint works quicker, however it depends on the cat and the type of bellyache. Sometimes, if you're low on both, just give the cat a poppy seed and let them sleep it off."

"Ha! I told you so!" Sandybank shot at Poppypaw. She wisely ignored him.

"Where's Larksong? Getting lazy now that she has an apprentice almost as good as mine?" Sandybank asked, shoving Thistlepaw playfully.

"She...she died," he replied.

Sandybank seemed, for once, lost for words. Poppypaw looked stricken. "Oh, Thistlepaw, I'm so so sorry!" she murmured gently, brushing her pelt briefly against his in a sign of comfort.

"Yeah..." he replied heavily, and they walked in an awkward silence.

"Well, at least now you get your medicine cat name early!" Sandybank said, trying to bring some humour to the situation.

"Shush!" Poppypaw hissed, nipping his shoulder.

"Ow!"

As they neared the ShadowClan border, they spotted Crowflash. When Sandybank told her very loudly what had happened, she turned to Thistlepaw, her green eyes bright with compassion.

"My mentor also died when I was young. He is...he was the best of the best." she gently told him.

Sandybank nudged her. "Don't lie! I'm the best!" Poppypaw glared at him and he relaxed a bit.

"We should get going, we're wasting moonlight." called a voice from the shadow of a pine tree. The voice belonged to a cat, watching them warily from the shadows. When the cat recognised them, it slipped out.

"You two youngsters haven't met me. I'm Gorsefur. I didn't come last time because of a sick kit and...well, it seems I'm too late."

Gorsefur was a wiry, pale brown tom. He glanced at Thistlepaw. "You'll do." he snorted, before moving on. "You, calico, you seem like you'd be a good medicine cat."

Poppypaw dipped her head modestly.

"I heard what happened to Larksong. I'm sorry," he grunted finally.

"How'd you know?" Thistlepaw asked curiously.

"We're WindClan. Closest to Silverpelt. We know all." he said firmly, before glancing at Sandybank and Crowflash with amusement in his eyes.

"Stop tormenting the apprentices and get a move on!" Crowflash mewed in exasperation.

"Okay, okay," Gorsefur replied, glancing at Thistlepaw. "We don't know all. I just know because Larksong told me. She...she's my sister."

Thistlepaw gaped. "What?"

"Yeah."

"But...but..."

"We're being left behind." Gorsefur mewed, motioning with his tail to the others.

Eventually, they arrived at the Moonstone. The medicine cats all lay down and prepared to touch the Moonstone, but Gorsefur stopped them. "Wait," he said, motioning for Thistlepaw to stand.

"I, Gorsefur, medicine cat of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan, ThunderClan, for many moons."

Thistlepaw trembled. _Stop it!_ He chided himself.

"Thistlepaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Thistlepaw opened his mouth, but no sound came out. _Come on! This is the moment you've been waiting for since kithood! Just say 'I do'!_ "I-I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Thistlepaw, from this moment you will be known as Thistlelight. StarClan honours your brightness of spirit and strength to push through these dark times, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan."

Gorsefur rested his muzzle on Thistlelight's head and Thistlelight licks Gorsefur's shoulder. "Thank you." he whispered, so that only Gorsefur heard.

"Thistlelight! Thistlelight!" chanted the other medicine cats.

 **How was that?**

 **Please review!**

 **Also, should I update the alliegances or not? It's just one dead cat and one change in a name...**


	10. Chapter 8

**Hey!**

 **Thanks to the TRIGGERED Lemur for reviewing!**

 **Let's get straight into it!**

 **(You can tell that I'm excited because of all the exclamation marks!)!**

 **Sorry that this is late, I'm planning my brother's party.**

Echokit's POV:

Carefully, she snuck out of the nursery. It was a routine she usually followed, and it was achingly familiar. But it was different.

"How much farther?" Finchkit whispered, his ginger fur shining eerily under the moonlight.

"Not far," she whispered back.

They crept out the dirt-place tunnel into the small clearing just outside camp. The mossy ground made very little sound and at first Echokit had found it impossible to hear the moss ball, however now she could find it with ease.

"Throw it," she called softly to Finchkit, deftly flicking out a claw to catch it. "Not yet! When my eyes are closed."

"Sorry." he hissed back. He threw it hard, and it hit the large oak at the edge of the clearing. She crossed the clearing in a stride and grabbed it.

"Easy."

"Wait," he called, "how about _I_ move around quietly and you try to catch me?"

"Yeah!" Echokit perked up at the opportunity.

She closed her eyes, waiting. After a moment he called, "Come and get me!"

Echokit knew that he would move from where he was so she didn't bother going there. She spun around, waiting... _that_! No, it was just a leaf...she tasted the air but he was downwind from her. She heard the wind rustling his pelt and knew it wasn't a leaf, she could hear the fluffiness of his kit-fur. _Got you!_ She pounced and just caught his tail as he darted away.

Eyes shining, he let him up. "Well?"

"That was quick," he admitted grudgingly. "How'd you get me?"

"The wind in your pelt."

"Okay. Let's try again!" he said, eager to beat her.

Finchkit's POV:

This time, he crept behind a bush and made sure the wind couldn't reach him. He controlled his breathing and waited. A moment later, she leaped on him.

"What? How?!" Was all he managed to say.

"I heard you creeping there and...well, I guessed you would hide there because then you're out of the wind." she replied, "Let's go; the sky's lightening."

Yawning, they crept back through the dirt-place tunnel. Finchkit noticed that Echokit's eyes were still closed. She seemed more at home blind than seeing, which, Finchkit mused, was probably a good thing.

 **1 moon later...**

Patchstar's POV:

She watched the kits playing. They were 5 moons, almost old enough to become apprentices. Finchkit would make a great apprentice, and if Rosekit matured a bit she would be great too...but what about Echokit? The kit definitely seemed wise beyond her age and as skilled as her siblings, but what about her eyes? Which warrior would want to mentor her, if any? If Sweetbriar had still been a warrior, she could help, but the half-blind cat had long since retired. Patchstar herself wouldn't mind mentoring Finchkit, and plenty of warriors would be good for Rosekit, but Echokit? Maybe she should become a medicine cat...but Thistlepaw-Thistlelight-isn't ready for an apprentice, he's only a few moons into his own training. Patchstar was extremely grateful to Sandybank, who came ever so often to help Thistlelight...

Patchstar was interrupted from her thoughts when Rosekit squealed in pain.

"Ow! Finchkit!" she yelped.

Dappleheart came out. "Finchkit, what have I told you about using your teeth?!"

"Don't use them," he began grumpily, "but I'm gonna be a warrior! I need to know how to fight!"

Patchstar watched them fondly, once again wishing she had had kits. She had a sudden thought. "Dappleheart!" she called.

"Yes, Patchstar?" asked Dappleheart with respect.

"What if I got the apprentices to spend some time with your kits, to prepare them for their apprenticeship? They're all confined to camp at the moment, for hiding from their mentors, so it would be good for them."

Reedpaw's POV:

Why did he have to teach some daft kits? He should be out there, training for battle! Bloompaw and Featherpaw seemed happy enough to help, they didn't need him! Lucky Thistlelight, he got his warrior name, he gets to go to the next gathering _and_ he doesn't have to play with kits!

He trudged towards the nursery, and Finchkit barrelled into him. "Reedpaw! I missed you! You said you'd come visit!" There was something in the kit's eyes, a sort of accusation, a wiser look, like he knew secrets even Reedpaw didn't know. He looked older.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Badger ride? _Please_?" Finchkit begged, and Reedpaw obliged.

"Faster! Faster!" yowled Finchkit in excitement. Rosekit stared at her brother as though he'd grown wings.

Reedpaw noticed Patchstar watching him sternly and he ducked his head.

"Let's do battle-training." he offered, and Finchkit scowled.

"Don't want to."

"C'mon, I'll show you a new move."

"Okay!"

While Reedpaw trained Finchkit, he felt his mind wander. He saw Featherpaw teaching Rosekit a stalking technique and Bloompaw was helping Echokit with her hunter's crouch.

Patchstar was watching them all approvingly. "Well done, you three. You'd make excellent mentors."

Glowing with the praise, Reedpaw moved on to a more complicated move.

"You sort of dive, come up and hook my paws out from under me," he explained. Finchkit listened intently.

"Like this?"

Reedpaw gaped. Finchkit was a natural. "Perfect." he croaked.

He decided he'd teach Finchkit a move he'd only just learned, only just mastered.

Finchkit did it the second time.

"Robinflight!" he called. She glanced sideways at him, her mouth full of prey. Her eyes seemed to be asking, ' _yes?_ '.

"Come and see this."

Finchkit demonstrated the move even better than the last time. The thrush fell out of Robinflight's mouth. "You only taught him this morning?"

"Yes...well, I started teaching him that move just before your patrol entered the camp."

Robinflight stared at him in shock. "But...but..."

"I know," Reedpaw replied heavily. He'd always been the best apprentice, but he'd spent a couple of sunrises practicing that move. Finchkit got it in no time.

Robinflight whisked past him. "I'm telling Patchstar."

Finchkit stared at them in astonishment. "What's going on?"

"Hush," Robinflight mewed gently, more gently than Reedpaw had ever heard her speak, "we're just telling Patchstar how well-behaved you are."

Finchkit stared at her crossly. "I'm not a moon old! I'm almost an apprentice! You're going because I'm really good!"

Rosekit watched them in bewilderment before Featherpaw mewed something to her.

Featherpaw's POV:

Rosekit was a quick learner. She'd soon mastered the stalking technique for a squirrel and for a mouse and was making good progress with a bird stalking technique. She was determined and obedient and Featherpaw wished she could be her mentor. She listened quietly while Featherpaw explained why you try to catch birds on the ground and watched patiently while Featherpaw demonstrated.

"Want to try some fighting?" Featherpaw asked Rosekit.

"No thanks," Rosekit replied.

"Okay, how about stealthiness? You try to creep up on me."

Rosekit nodded. "Okay."

Echokit was watching them keenly. Bloompaw gave up teaching her a hunting crouch and padded over with her.

"She's so easily distracted and she keeps trying to do it with her eyes closed," complained Bloompaw, but Featherpaw could see that Bloompaw wasn't that annoyed with Echokit.

"Want to join us?" she invited.

"Yes please!" Echokit mewed in excitement.

Bloompaw rolled her eyes in mock exaggeration.

"We were like that once." Featherpaw reminded her.

"Don't," Bloompaw replied.

"Don't what?" Featherpaw replied, teasing her friend.

Surprisingly, Rosekit and Echokit could stalk up on them with ease, possibly because they were both very light, so they swapped.

"We'll sneak up on you now," Bloompaw informed them pompously.

"Okay," Echokit said brightly.

Featherpaw found it pretty easy to sneak up on Rosekit, but Bloompaw was having difficulty.

"She's behind you," Echokit told Rosekit.

Featherpaw stifled a growl. _This wasn't fair!_ Remaining patient, she asked if Rosekit wanted to join them. They had no luck. Echokit could hear, scent, smell, sense them wherever they hid. As the sun began to set, the apprentices bid the kits farewell.

"That was better than checking the elders for ticks!" Bloompaw mrrowed in amusement. Featherpaw nodded in agreement.

 **How was that? Sorry again for the lateness! And sadly, now that it's school again, I might update even less...**

 **I hope Bloompaw still fits your idea of her, snootsnoot!**

 **Anyway, enjoy the rest of your day!**

 **Please review and if you do please tell me who your favourite character in this story is!**

 **Again, please don't steal.**


	11. Chapter 9

**Hey! This chapter is specifically for acornpounce! Hope it's good enough!**

Rosekit's POV:

Weak sunlight was filtering into the nursery. She squirmed and felt just air beside her, where Echokit usually slept. She got up and looked around. _Again_. Echokit and Finchkit always crept out of the nursery at night and came back in the morning. She wanted to confront them, but she was scared. She could tell from the silence in the camp that the sun had only just risen. The dawn patrol must have left a while ago, however. She had listened to the older warriors talking and she knew that there was tension with RiverClan over Sunningrocks. She knew a lot of things that other kits didn't notice, she supposed it came from her quiet nature. She heard the leaves behind her rustle and she looked around. Finchkit and Echokit padded into the den, freezing when they saw her.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi." Echokit mewed stiffly, while Finchkit just waved his tail breezily. "We got you some prey."

Finchkit gestured to a slightly scuffed and stale mouse. Echokit spoke again, "We got you some prey."

Rosekit guessed she was waiting for a thank you. Timidly, she nodded her thanks.

Echokit glanced around. "Is Dappleheart awake?"

"No."

"Okay."

 _Why were they keeping secrets from her? They were littermates!_ She thought indignantly. A small voice in her head replied. _B_ _ecause you'd probably tell on._ She bristled. She may tell on for some things, but she wouldn't tell on without a good reason! _Or would she?_

They snuck off again, giggling. She watched as they approached Reedpaw, Bloompaw and Featherpaw. The apprentices waved their tails in greeting and then Reedpaw leaped at Finchkit, bowling him over. The two tussled while Echokit did her hunter's crouch for the other two. Rosekit suddenly felt very alone. Darting over to Dappleheart, she buried her muzzle in her mother's scruff. Dappleheart groaned and turned over in her nest.

Angrily, Rosekit stormed out of the nursery.

"Ow!" she cried as she stood on a thorn, hard.

Finchkit and Echokit glanced at her while Bloompaw tried unsuccessfully to stop giggling. Rosekit glared at them in anger, and that just made Bloompaw laugh harder.

Rosekit stalked over to the fresh-kill pile with her tail high. She nosed the remains of a sparrow over until she found a fresh mouse. She trudged back to the nursery with it and gave it to Dappleheart. She then gulped down the stale mouse and crept over to Finchkit and Echokit. She heard them arguing.

"It's bad enough that you know! We can't tell her, she'd tell!" Echokit was saying.

"Well, you told _me_ ," argued Finchkit.

"Yeah, because you were nosy enough to interfere _and_ you already knew part of it!"

"It's not my fault you're going blind!"

"Take that back!"

"No! It's the truth, and I just happened to hear it!"

Rosekit couldn't listen anymore. She took a step back, right onto a twig.

"Oh," she muttered.

"Rosekit!" said Finchkit in surprise.

"Rosekit!" said Echokit in suspicion.

"Hi..." she said.

"Were you spying?" Echokit asked, straight to the point as always.

"Umm...no." Rosekit mewed unconvincingly.

Echokit sighed. "Finchkit, you explain. I'm going to my nest; I'm super tired."

Finchkit watched her go. "I wanted to tell you." he mewed quietly.

"What? That Echokit's going blind?" Rosekit meant it as a joke but he nodded slowly.

"Yeah."

" _What_?!" yelped Rosekit. "You were serious?"

He sighed heavily. "Yeah."

 _Does everyone have secrets?_ She wondered. _Like Bloompaw_. Because Rosekit was always listening, she knew most of the cats' secrets. But she didn't know this one. "Is that why you sneak out every night?"

"Yes."

"How does that help?"

"We train."

"Train?"

"So she can be a warrior."

"Oh."

"Hey, I know she's mad, but maybe you can help..?"

"I'll try," she replied shortly.

Bloompaw's POV:

She glanced around. Nobody was around. She heard Finchkit and Echokit and sighed. Those two, playing around all night. Sometimes she wondered why they didn't sleep. They were young, they needed sleep. _Like me._ She shook the nagging doubt away. Glancing around again, she crept out through the entrance and slipped among the trees. She spotted Sunningrocks and snuck up on the ginger mound of fur.

"Sandybank!" she mewed in delight.

"Wha-? Oh, Bloompaw. Hey!" her brother mrrowed in amusement. "Nice stalking."

"How's Poppypaw's training going?" she asked.

"Great, she learns the herbs really fast."

"Yeah, you told me last time."

"I wish we were in the same Clan." she murmured.

"Would you leave ThunderClan?"

"No..." she admitted.

"It's the same for me."

"But RiverClan isn't even your birth Clan."

"So you found out? What did Redfur say?"

She dropped her gaze. "Redfur's dead."

"What?!" he yelped. "When?"

"A...a long time ago..."

"Why didn't you tell me? She's our _mother_ , for StarClan's sake. _My_ mother."

"I know...but you had to train Poppypaw."

He glared at her. "Okay, well I'll see her tomorrow at the medicine cat meeting. StarClan knows why she didn't come before. Anyway, what did she say?"

"How do you know it was her who told me."

"You don't know how to lie, do you?"

"That's a good thing."

"Anyway."

"Anyw-oh, yes. She said that our father wanted to take you, but you fell in the river and you were rescued by RiverClan. You know what happened, you were rescued, apprenticed, given your full name..."

"And you were kept back from apprenticeship and from becoming a warrior because of injuries and general naughtiness." he finished. "So did she tell you who our father is?"

She paused. "No."

"I'm not convinced." Sandybank mewed, but she was already darting back to her territory.

"Bye," she called.

"Bye," he said half-heartedly, watching his sister go.

Rosekit's POV:

She had to get this right, impress her littermates for the first time. They thought she was weak...she'd show them. Echokit sat in the clearing, eyes closed. Rosekit crept forward, one paw-step at a time.

"Behind me." Echokit called without looking around. Rosekit stiffened. This would be harder than she thought.

Changing tactics, she crawled to a low-hanging tree. She softly climbed it and only moved when it creaked, making sure the wind was nowhere near her. She was confident that she wouldn't be heard.

"In the tree."

She gaped. "How?"

"Your breathing."

"How do you know it was me?"

"You were nervous, your breathing was fast and shallow and you were trying to breathe slowly, which was making you need more air. Finchkit's breathing was calm and relaxed."

Rosekit was impressed, but she was curious as well. "Would I hear all of this?"

Echokit paused. "I don't know. I mean, you could hear it but I'm interpreting everything I hear and scent so that it's easy to know who's who, and who's where, and what everyone is doing. It's like my instinct, since...you know."

"Are you noticing a difference in your eyesight?"

Echokit seemed uncomfortable. "There is a change, but it's so gradual I barely notice...like a moon ago I could see the leader's den from the nursery and now I can't make it out, and two moons ago I could see it quite clearly but last moon it was blurrier."

Rosekit fell quiet. "That must be hard."

She thought of how lucky she was to have good vision, in fact, it was better than Finchkit's. She thought of how brave Echokit was being, and how scary it must be to be blind. She suddenly wanted to run and press her muzzle against Echokit, like when they had been younger.

"Let's get back to the nursery." Echokit mewed after a long silence.

 **One question remains...can cats giggle? Probably not...oh well, this is Warriors. To be honest, cats can't shrug, so I've been trying to keep shrugging out of my story, so maybe I should stop giggling? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.**

 **And snootsnoot, is it fine that I sort of added a bit to Bloompaw?**

 **In case you didn't know, snootsnoot gave me Cedarflame and Bloompaw! Thanks!**

 **Please review and please don't steal.**


	12. Chapter 10

**Hey! So I introduced this idea ages ago and I thought I should actually write it...**

Echokit's POV:

Finchkit and Rosekit had a cough and they were sleeping in the medicine cats den. They didn't seem sick but it was leaf-bare and there was white-cough in camp, so Thistlelight was taking no chances. Echokit felt sorry for him; he had only just become a medicine cat and he was still learning. Sandybank popped in and out of camp and he always had a moment to spare with a joke or a comment to all the cats. Echokit thought he wasn't that bad, for a RiverClan cat. What she didn't know was that Bloompaw was finding it difficult not to make her clanmates suspicious, so she always left camp the second her brother entered.

She hadn't trained in two nights and she was getting annoyed, although the sleep was nice. The night before, however, she had been disturbed by a constant, menacing whispering. She settled down in her nest and waited for the whispering. It didn't come. Instead, a harsh voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I told you to be prepared. I told you I'd come."

Echokit flinched. It was Mapleshade, Larksong's killer.

"Come with me, I can help you." Mapleshade hissed.

Echokit shook her head. "No!"

"I can make you more powerful than any sighted cat. You could beat them, all, with no effort. You could be a leader..."

Echokit thought about it. "How?"

"Training..." Mapleshade hissed, drawing out the word.

"I've been training!" she mewed indignantly.

"This is proper training."

"But..."

"Come. Just one night will make you stronger..."

"But I don't want to..."

"Mouse-brain!" Mapleshade spat. "This could have been easy, you know. But now I see it can't be. If you don't come, your littermates will die."

"F-Finchkit and R-Rosekit?" she whimpered.

"Yes."

"But you can't!"

"I can."

"I don't want to-"

Mapleshade interrupted. "Ever see them again? I thought so. Now come, we have work to do."

Trembling, Echokit looked around. She was in a dark, damp forest, and she couldn't see the stars. _No Silverpelt..._ She bristled. Mapleshade was right in front of her.

"Firstly, I want you to climb that rock." Mapleshade purred; her purr was scarier than her hiss. Echokit looked where she was looking. A tall, jagged rock covered in mud. She considered it as a challenge, like her training. The jagged side provided good paw-holds but the mud could make her slip. She padded closer. The mud was dry! The other side had few paw-holds, it was very steep and it was too smooth. She picked her way carefully up the jagged side. _Ouch!_ She glanced down and saw a sharp rock, pointing upwards. She realised that there were sharp rocks all around her. She looked at Mapleshade, hoping she would be allowed to get down. Instead, Mapleshade leaped for the rock and began clawing her way up.

"Don't let me catch you." Mapleshade hissed.

Terrified, Echokit launched herself higher, ignoring the sharp, stabbing pains. She slipped a mouse-length and felt Mapleshade's claws raking over her tail. She propelled herself forwards and realised she was a tail-length from the top. Using all her strength, she clawed her way to the top. "Yes!"

Mapleshade climbed up beside her. "Well done." she purred, then promptly pushed Echokit off.

She was falling...falling...prickly branches reached out to catch her and thorns filled her pelt. She landed with a _thud_ on the peaty ground. Slowly, she opened her eyes...Mapleshade struck her in her face.

"Get up." she snarled.

"I...I"

"Up. Now."

Mapleshade clawed her again and fire erupted in her leg. She pushed herself up wobbily. Mapleshade watched her, eyes gleaming.

"You're obviously weak." she hissed. "I'm here to fix that."

She shoved Echokit backward into the thorns. Echokit spun around to see Mapleshade right behind her.

"How are you doing that..?" she asked weakly.

"Training," Mapleshade replied harshly.

She was struck to the ground and she covered her face and her exposed belly, bracing herself for a blow that never came...

She was in the nursery. It had all been a dream, yet fatigue still pulled at her muscles. She sat up and collapsed instantly. The wound on her leg was still there...how? She was covered in thorns...she yelped in shock. It hadn't been a dream!

She glanced at Dappleheart, who was still sleeping. She raced out of the nursery and hid just behind it, picking the thorns out and lapping at her wounds. They still stung, but she didn't know what to tell Thistlelight. She decided she'd live.

 **One moon later:**

Echokit's POV:

She was ready to become an apprentice. After a moon of training with Mapleshade, she felt stronger and fitter than ever before. Her pelt was sleek and her head was raised proudly. She was still small, but now she was long-legged. Beside her stood Finchkit, his ginger fur slicked back over his head. He too looked proud, and he too was a lot stronger, but not from training with Mapleshade. His pelt was unscarred, whereas Echokit was glad she had a long pelt to hide the cuts and scrapes she picked up in training. Rosekit stood on the other side of Echokit. She was trembling, her eyes wide with nervousness, but she too stood tall. Her dark ginger pelt was tidily groomed and her blue eyes shone with wisdom. Patchstar stood before them.

Echokit looked around, seeing all the cats watching her and her littermates. She snapped back to the ceremony just in time.

"I do." Finchkit's mew was sure and steady.

"I do!" Rosekit squeaked. There was a ripple of laughter.

"I do," Echokit said, trying to sound as calm as her brother.

Finchpaw was apprenticed to Pineleaf, Rosepaw to Brindletail and Echopaw to...Birdclaw? The small, white tom was vicious and battle-hungry. _What was Patchstar thinking?_ Echopaw wasn't ready for him as a mentor...Mapleshade was bad enough. Pineleaf and Finchpaw were already discussing what they would do next and Brindletail was telling Rosepaw how she never thought her first apprentice would be so skilled, while Birdclaw just...glared at her. She knew that he wished that he'd been given Finchpaw, not her. She decided then and there that she would prove him wrong.

 **Well, that was a bit of a cliff-hanger...**

 **Do you think the apprentice ceremony was a bit rushed? I do, but then it's not many fan fics that have basically ten chapters of being a kit, is it? Anyway, here's the next chapter! I think I'll update the allegiances as well, below:**

 **P.S.: Briarflower's in the nursery so that I have a queen and yes, I know, there are as many apprentices as warriors...**

 **(Okay forget that I've added a bunch of OC's since then so nevermind)**

 **(Also I'm putting Bloompaw as a warrior but her ceremony is next chapter)**

 **(Sorry if these OC's haven't been mentioned before, hopefully now that Echo's an apprentice she'll talk more to the warriors!)**

* * *

 **Allegiances** :

 **ThunderClan:**

Leader: Patchstar (black and white she-cat, amber eyes) stern but understanding

Deputy: Runningstream (pale ginger tom, green eyes) gentle, smart

Medicine Cat: Thistlelight (pale grey tom, blue eyes) excitable and eager

Warriors:

Brindletail: (pale grey brindled she-cat, amber eyes) kind but strong _(Rosepaw)_

Foxwhisker: (dark ginger tom with leaf-green eyes) speedy, good hunter, fun _(Featherpaw)_

Robinflight: (dark brown she-cat, blue eyes) stern, loyal and committed _(Reedpaw)_

Pineleaf: (dark brown-ginger tom, green eyes) fun, strong and demanding _(Finchpaw)_

Birdclaw: (small, white tom, blue eyes) strong and vicious _(Echopaw)_

Cedarflame: (dark russet tom, deep green eyes) cranky, sarcastic and solitary

Bloomleaf: (pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes) bubbly, energetic and encouraging

Duskfur: (scrawny pale brown tom, green eyes) shy and wary

Squirreltail: (large, fluffy ginger tom, green eyes) bouncy and talkative

Ashbark: (dark grey she-cat, amber eyes) stealthy and sly

Snakestrike: (small, black tom with acid-green eyes) vicious and speedy

Mousepelt: (small brown tom, pale golden eyes) boastful but kind

Apprentices:

Featherpaw: (silver she-cat, green eyes) gentle and swift

Reedpaw: (ginger tom, amber eyes) quick and strong

Echopaw (pale grey, beautiful aqua eyes) determined but shy

Finchpaw (golden tom, green eyes) eager and strong

Rosepaw (dark ginger, almost red she-cat, dark blue eyes) sweet but nervous

Queens:

Briarflower: (black she-cat with yellow eyes) sly and strong

Flowerpetal: (creamy she-cat with amber eyes) soft and anxious

Elders:

Darkfoot (grey tom, black foot, green eyes) grumpy and rude

Sweetbriar (pale russet she-cat, one blind eye, one green eye) sweet and gentle

 **WindClan:**

Leader: Stormstar (pale grey she-cat with gorse-green eyes) wise and a good leader

Deputy: Rabbitfur (scrawny brown tom with pale green eyes) calm but hostile when needed _(Berrypaw)_

Medicine cat: Gorsefur (pale brown tom with amber eyes) silent and watchful

Warriors:

Brightfoot (ginger she-cat with brown eyes) stern and hostile

Apprentices:

Berrypaw: (dusty brown she-cat with bright blue eyes) playful, smart and quick-thinking

 **ShadowClan:**

Leader: Scorchstar (huge dark grey tom, amber eyes) vicious but intelligent

Deputy: Mousefang (small brown she-cat, yellow eyes) deceitful, sly, good at battle plans

Medicine Cat: Crowflash (dappled brown she-cat, white flash on chest, green eyes) smart, quick-thinking, gentle _(Frogpaw)_

Warriors:

Scarstripe (white tom with scars, amber eyes) cruel and quick to anger _(Marshpaw)_

Apprentices:

Frogpaw: (small, grey tom with green eyes) bossy and very eager

Marshpaw: (large, dark brown tom with striking blue eyes) aloof and silent

 **RiverClan:**

Leader: Ripplestar (large, silky gray tom, ice blue eyes) stern, calm and thoughtful

Deputy: Pebblefoot (long-furred silver she-cat, deep blue eyes) understanding but fierce in battle _(Splashpaw)_

Medicine Cat: Sandybank (pale ginger tom with green eyes) goofy, smart _(Poppypaw)_

Warriors:

Muddypelt: (dark brown tabby tom, yellow eyes) unforgiving and battle-hungry

Minnowstream (sleek grey she-cat with deep blue eyes) friendly and a good swimmer

Apprentices:

Splashpaw: (beautiful pale grey she-cat, amber eyes) playful, energetic and a quick learner

Poppypaw: (small calico she-cat, green eyes) wise, gentle and highly respected

 **So yeah.**


	13. Chapter 11

**Here it is! (SpOiLeRs Of MaPlEsHaDe'S vEnGeAnCe)**

Echopaw's POV:

Patchstar spoke, "I, Patchstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn."

She gazed sternly at Bloompaw. "Bloompaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Bloompaw was silent for a bit and Echopaw could see her trembling. "I do," she said, her voice betraying her with a slight tremble.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Bloompaw, from this moment on you will be known as Bloomleaf. StarClan honours your loyalty and energy, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Patchstar rested her muzzle lightly on Bloomleaf's head and Bloomleaf licked Patchstar's shoulder.

"Bloomleaf! Bloomleaf! Bloomleaf!" Echopaw called her name loudly.

Bloomleaf's POV:

She was a warrior! She _had_ to go tell Sandybank! As her Clanmates slipped away to go out patrolling for the afternoon, she slid out and...crashed straight into Cedarflame.

"Sorry!" she yelped. He looked at her in confusion.

"Sorry?"

"I...err...bumped into you," she mumbled.

"I didn't notice," he replied sarcastically.

She looked up at him, this cat who had been like a father to her, and she wondered why she didn't tell him about Sandybank. _Because he's loyal to his Clan, unlike you._ A nasty little voice said in her head. _I'm loyal! I just have a brother in a different Clan! You would do the same, surely?_

Cedarflame watched her through narrowed eyes. "Are you talking to yourself?"

"No."

"How's being a warrior?"

"Nice." she mewed unconvincingly.

"Good, good, I wouldn't want you to enjoy it, now would I?" he mewed sarcastically.

"Stop it with the sarcasm!" she mewed back, and he shoved her good-naturedly.

"Don't speak to your mentor like that!"

"You aren't my mentor anymore, so I can do what I like," she said defiantly, "Now I'm going for a hunt."

"Last hunt with your mentor?" he asked.

"Err, no, sorry..." she felt bad saying no, but she wanted to meet Sandybank. She'd promised she'd be at Sunningrocks by sun-high, and it was sun-high now.

"Oh...Do you want some alone time to get used to your new name?" he asked, trying to sound light-hearted, however, Bloomleaf heard the hurt in his voice.

"Tonight we'll hunt," she promised.

"Okay, well, enjoy this one," he said, before turning and walking back to camp.

Bloomleaf felt guilty for hurting his feelings, but she was too excited to dwell on it for long.

"Sandybank!" she mewed excitedly. He put his tail over her mouth.

"Hush, Bloompaw. You don't want to start a battle."

"It's Bloomleaf!"

His eyes sparkled. "You're a warrior? Finally?"

"Yeah!"

He purred. "Congratulations, you really deserve it."

"And Echopaw, Finchpaw and Rosepaw have been apprenticed to Birdclaw, Pineleaf and Brindletail!" she added.

"Echopaw? Isn't she the one you played with?"

"Yeah."

"And in RiverClan?"

"Not much."

Birdclaw's POV:

"Echopaw! Concentrate!" he snapped. His apprentice watched him warily. She really was a mouse-brain...maybe she was best suited to being a medicine cat, as she really can't listen when he explains battle moves.

"I heard you." she mewed impatiently.

"Oh, yeah? Then try the move on me."

To his shock and frustration, she did it perfectly. It was excellent, but he didn't say so.

"You need to balance your hind legs more."

She tried again and this time she balanced her hind legs even more, which made it clumsier.

"You don't know what you're doing." he snapped.

"You don't know what you're saying!" she snapped back.

His eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"You told me to balance my hind legs, which was unnecessary!"

"How do you know?" he asked suspiciously.

She hesitated. "Uhm...Bloomleaf told me."

"Should I go ask her?"

"No! I mean, it was more in passing, you know? Like I tried the move and I asked if I should balance my hind legs because it made me sound experienced and she said no."

"How did you know the move?"

"I watched the other apprentices practising it." she mewed.

"Okay, well, let's try another move."

As he explained he could see that she was letting her attention wander. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be listening, every so often he saw her move her muzzle sharply to one side at a sound. He decided to try sneaking up on her, to scare her into behaving. He crawled forwards, careful not to make a sound. Her ears pricked and she suddenly leaped for him. Shocked, he let out a high-pitched yowl. She caught him and held him down. He struggled in embarrassment which was only made worse when Patchstar led a patrol into the clearing.

"We heard Echopaw yowl. What happened?" Patchstar demanded. Birdclaw looked down sheepishly.

"He yowled, not me," Echopaw said.

"What?" Patchstar sounded confused. "Oh, okay..."

Patchstar exchanged a bemused glance with the rest of her patrol and then they left. Birdclaw heaved himself to his feet and attempted to sound professional.

"Good attack, but you must kick out a bit more for a stronger leap and it helps nip..."

Echopaw's POV:

She was lying, stretched out, in her nest. It was in between Rosepaw and Finchpaw. Next to Finchpaw was Reedpaw's nest, and Featherpaw had given Finchpaw her nest so that she could lie next to Rosepaw. The other apprentices were gossiping and chatting, and Echopaw just lay there.

"So then I went on a ShadowClan border patrol and there was nearly a fight because Cedarflame offended one of the apprentices..." Finchpaw informed Reedpaw, who interrupted.

"I flipped and spun and twisted and I beat Robinflight so she made me fight _Snakestrike_ , like _the_ Snakestrike. He beat me but I got him down twice!"

"Patchstar wanted me to get mouse bile for Darkfoot's tick and Sweetbriar was telling me this story about LeopardClan." Rosepaw was saying.

Featherpaw mewed excitedly. "I love that story! Wait, the one with the giant fish? Has she told you the one with Mapleshade?"

Echopaw perked up her ears.

"No?" mewed Rosepaw.

"Well, she went sort of crazy after she was exiled and killed a bunch of cats."

"Why was she exiled?" Echopaw mewed in a hushed voice.

"Because she had half-Clan kits and she lied about them." Featherpaw said.

"Who did she kill?"

"Her Clan medicine cat who revealed her secret, her Clanmate who watched her kits die..."

"They _died_?" Rosepaw asked in horror. Featherpaw nodded gravely.

"And who else?" asked Echopaw.

"A RiverClan cat...I think he was the father of her kits or something, I haven't heard that story for a while so I don't really remember it." Featherpaw told them.

"Three cats...two of them her own Clanmates..." Echopaw breathed.

"Oh, I forgot to say...she killed three because she had three kits and she killed the three cats that she thought were responsible for her kits' death, one kill per kit." Featherpaw added.

Echopaw closed her eyes in shock. It was a natural reflex for her now, closed eyes made her feel comforted and safe.

"I think I'm going to throw up." she mewed as she padded out of her den.

"Eww!" whimpered Finchpaw.

"You sound like a kit," Rosepaw teased, "Echopaw, are you okay?"

"Fine, fine." she mewed distractedly.

Mapleshade was a murderer...she killed her own Clanmates and a RiverClan cat...she couldn't be trusted...

"Hello, Echopaw." hissed a familiar voice.

"Mapleshade." she mewed, suddenly panic-stricken.

"I see you found out my background...wouldn't you do the same, if your kits were drowned by your fox-dung, StarClan-loving Clanmate?" Mapleshade spat.

"StarClan-loving? Is that an insult?"

"I am from the _Dark Forest_. We are _strong_. StarClan is _weak_. I thought you realised this."

Echopaw backed away. In front of her was a faint outline, growing stronger all the time. In front of her was a murderer. In front of her was a traitor. In front of her was the cat she owed her skills to.

"I'm not on your side," Echopaw whispered.

"Oh? Well, what if I _make_ you?" Mapleshade spat.

"What? No!" Echopaw ran to protect Rosepaw and Finchpaw, but Mapleshade ran past them, to the nursery.

 _Dappleheart_! Her mother had stayed in the nursery for a few more sunrises while she waited for the warrior's den to be expanded.

Echopaw put on a burst of speed. "No! You can't!"

"I can."

"She'll lose her kits!"

"I lost mine!"

"So you know what it feels like!"

"Stop attempting to stop me! I lost my kits because of this Clan. I owe you _nothing_. I owe ThunderClan _nothing_. But you owe me, ThunderClan owes me. So now, you'll pay!"

Mapleshade leaped past Echopaw and attacked Dappleheart. Echopaw's paws felt as though they were stuck to the ground. Grief wrenched her heart as she heard her mother cry out...and then Dappleheart fell, dead, at Mapleshade's feet. Suddenly, Echopaw knew that she had to leave. She couldn't be found here. Blindly, she ran to her nest and she curled up there. The other apprentices were asleep. Hurried paw-steps ran past, and she heard a yowl. Without a thought, Echopaw knew it was Runningstream. She longed to go comfort him, but she couldn't.

The next morning, when she and her littermates were told the news, she pretended that it was a surprise. That it had shocked her, that she was grief-stricken. Inside, revenge burned. But she also knew that Mapleshade would just kill Runningstream, and Rosepaw, and Finchpaw. Echopaw had to trick Mapleshade, but how?

The Clan mourned Dappleheart. The Clan assumed that her death was the cause of a rabid fox that was long gone. Echopaw was grateful that at least, Mapleshade had killed Dappleheart in such a way that it looked like a fox's kill. How Briarflower and Flowerpetal hadn't noticed anything was anyone's guess, but Echopaw wasn't suspected.

Mapleshade's POV:

She watched all this, and more, with a cruel sense of satisfaction. Echopaw had to help her now. And soon, ThunderClan would be gone. The most unworthy, most useless, most disgraceful Clan would be gone, and Mapleshade would, at last, have finished the job she started.

 **Wow! I did _NOT_ plan to do that...just came into my head.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this, and please review! I can't believe this, this chapter is almost 2,000 words long!**

 **(That may seem short to some of you but I do these chapters one a day and I don't have all the time in the world for 67890 million word long chapters so 1,000 is like the average I can manage...**

 **So yeah.**


	14. Chapter 12

**Hey, sorry this is just a boring old filler, it'll also be quite short...eeeek I feel so baaaaaaad.**

Echopaw's POV:

 _Finally!_ She'd just outsmarted Mapleshade in one of their numerous mock-battles, slipping under her legs and knocking her into the muddy river. Echopaw could tell that she was growing stronger and stronger, but she still had a lot to learn.

"Not bad," Mapleshade admitted.

Echopaw glared at her.

"Okay, that was quite good, are you happy?"

Echopaw didn't want to admit it, but Mapleshade had become like a second mother to her. Mapleshade was cruel, harsh and unforgiving, but when she gave praise you knew she meant it. Mapleshade flicked dried mud off Echopaw's shoulder.

"Any wounds?" Mapleshade asked briskly.

"One on my paw," Echopaw replied, wincing as Mapleshade checked it.

"Not obvious, it shouldn't be noticed." Mapleshade mewed, then she spun around and pushed Echopaw hard against a tree.

"Not expecting that, either." Mapleshade spat. "Always prepared!"

"Yes, Mapleshade," Echopaw replied respectfully.

This had become a routine for them, training, a mock-fight, Mapleshade making sure no one would see Echopaw's injuries. Mapleshade fluffed up the fur on Echopaw's paw and Echopaw dipped her head in thanks and turned and walked to her Dark Forest nest. The second she slipped into it with a sigh of relief and closed her eyes, she was back in ThunderClan.

 **The next morning...**

Echopaw yawned and stretched. Today she was doing the dawn patrol. The ShadowClan border was quiet but there was a patrol along the RiverClan border. A long-furred silver she-cat seemed to be leading the patrol, with two warriors and an apprentice. One of the warriors, a dark brown tabby tom, came to the border to give them a suspicious sniff.

"We've found _your_ scent on _our_ territory," he growled.

Birdclaw bristled. "Where?"

"Sunningrocks." said a sleek grey she-cat.

" _What_?! That's ThunderClan's!" Birdclaw growled.

Echopaw and Finchpaw exchanged nervous glances. Pineleaf snarled. "Come one step closer, fish-face, and we'll rip your fur off!"

Cedarflame growled. "And you seem to out-number us."

The RiverClan cats exchanged a look of confusion. They obviously didn't know Cedarflame's sarcastic sense of humour.

The apprentice darted forward bravely. "You're right! We outnumber you! How'd you know?"

"Spashpaw! Come back!" yowled the silver she-cat in exasperation.

The tabby stood forward. "Come on, Minnowstream. Let's see what they have to say now."

Minnowstream took a step back. "We can't Muddypelt, those aren't Pebblefoot's orders!"

The silver she-cat looked up. "What does he want to do _now_?"

"Start a fight before Ripplestar arrives!" Minnowstream mewed.

Muddypelt growled. "Pebblefoot, they are outnumbered! There are two apprentices and three warriors. We have three warriors and an experienced apprentice and we have reinforcements coming!"

Pebblefoot seemed to be considering this.

Echopaw felt Birdclaw's breath in her ear. "Go get Patchstar!"

"I want to stay and fight!" she objected.

"Just go!" he yowled, hurling himself into the battle. Taken by surprise, the RiverClan cats retreated fearfully. Echopaw sprinted for camp. She heard Finchpaw yowl in pain and she put on a burst of speed, crashing right into Bloomleaf as she skidded into camp.

"RiverClan at Sunningrocks!" she yowled. Patchstar leaped down from the Highrock.

"Attack?"

Echopaw could only nod as she collapsed, a stitch ripping through her side. **(A/N: A stitch like when you run for too long!)**

"Right..." Patchstar pointed at cats with her tail. "You, you and you, you're on my patrol. Runningstream, you lead another. Leave a couple of warriors behind to guard camp." With that, she darted out of camp with Ashbark, Snakestrike and Robinflight hard on her heels. Echopaw gasped and staggered to her feet, beginning to run after them.

"No!" Thistlelight blocked her path.

"I have to help!"

"It's too dangerous!"

"I can fight!"

"But your eyes..."

She spat. "Forget about that!"

She raised a claw and swiped at him, just making his fur ruffle. Then she ran straight at him. He yelped and let her go.

The sounds of fighting drew nearer and nearer and she suddenly exploded into the clearing. Patchstar was fighting Ripplestar and Birdclaw was taking on two RiverClan apprentices, but where was Finchpaw? _There_! Two RiverClan warriors had cornered him. Anger exploded inside of her and she ran to his defence. She swiped and ducked and clawed and bit along wih Finchpaw and soon both warriors were running back to their camp. Ripplestar was nowhere to be seen and most of RiverClan's warriors were busy, however Echopaw saw three RiverClan warriors ganging up on Patchstar and Rosepaw. Yowling, Echopaw and Finchpaw sprinted for them and Finchpaw and Rosepaw took one warrior, Patchstar took another and Echopaw took the third. Echopaw seemed to be winning but she darted a quick look around just as Muddypelt crashed into her. All the breath driven from her body, she could only lie there as the two RiverClan warriors rained blow upon blow on her.

 _"Fight them, you pathetic excuse for a cat! Roll and snap! Twist and bite! Do something!"_

Echopaw gasped as she heard Mapleshade. Summoning all her energy, she rolled away from them and leaped to her paws. A sudden wave of dizziness threatened to overcome her but she pushed it away. She darted for the trees; it would be easier to fight there. One of the RiverClan warriors slipped on the rocks and when Runningstream loomed over him panicked and ran, Runningstream chasing after him. Muddypelt followed Echopaw further into the woods. He swiped at her and she scampered up a tree. From where she was, she couldn't even see him, although he was barely a fox-length below her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her senses.

"Below the yew tree!" the crackle of a leaf told her.

"By the holly bush!" said the swishing movement of the holly leaves.

"He's panicking!" whispered his fast breath.

"Right below you!" said the scratching of the bark as he ripped at it in frustration.

She plummeted down, right onto his back. He yowled in pain and she flipped him over.

"Run back to your fish-face Clan." she hissed, scoring one last claw-mark down his back as he ran. She followed him back to Sunningrocks. From what she could hear, Finchpaw was taking on another RiverClan warrior all by himself and he was doing well. Splashpaw, the RiverClan apprentice, was fighting Rosepaw. Suddenly, exhaustion slipped over Echopaw and she began to feel faint. She remembered the sounds of the battle around her growing muted before she fell.

 **Sorry for the cliff-hanger!**

 **Do you think she's a bit too OP? I think I wrote that battle wrong, it made her sound OP...Imma just say that most of the cats were tired by the time she arrived at the battle...or something.**

 **Anyway, please review if you liked it!**

 **(I saw someone else doing this and I wanted to do it)**

 **Question of the Day (QOTD):**

 **Which warrior cats death do you think was the saddest?**

 **(PM or review your answer or even just think about it in your head.)**

 **I think it was Swiftpaw's death. All he wanted was to be a warrior. If you watched Duckfeatherz, you might remember that scene with Swiftpaw pacing backwards and forwards, Thornpaw's face is unemotional, Fernpaw looks worried about the mutiny, Ashpaw looks concerned for his friend's mental health or something and Brightpaw looks like..."yeah you're right but why should we die to get our warrior names this makes no sense please make sense"**

 **Ok sorry that went off topic. I'm basically saying that Swiftpaw's was the saddest and that the scene in the Duckfeatherz video that I described is so...I dunno, it just fits the sadness perfectly. Poor Swiftpaw.**

 **I also think Snowkit and Mosskit and all the other kit deaths were sad, as well as Sandstorm's death (but it was brave) and Flametail's death...oh, and of course Hollyleaf.**

 **Anyway, what's yours?**


	15. Chapter 13

**Ok, I've fixed it in this chapter. She's no longer OP! It's also sort of a filler, but it's necessary as you will see.**

Echopaw's POV:

"What...happened..?" she asked groggily.

"Hush," Thistlelight told her gently, then, to a cat outside the nursery, "She's awake."

Immediately, Finchpaw and Rosepaw rushed in, covering Echopaw in licks.

"I thought we lost you!" Finchpaw mewed in worry.

"Never do that again!" Rosepaw hissed.

Just then, Runningstream came in. "My poor kit...how are you feeling?"

"Out! All of you! She needs rest!" Thistlelight snapped. Rosepaw and Finchpaw exchanged nervous glances and sprinted out. Runningstream followed more slowly, taking his time, glaring at Thistlelight, who ignored him. Once Runningstream was gone, Thistlelight bent down.

"What do you remember?"

"I...I was chasing a RiverClan warrior back to Sunningrocks and I just felt dizzy and then I woke up here."

"Anything else?" Thistlelight urged. "Any small details?"

Echopaw was thinking hard, before she mewed excitedly, "Oh, and I thought it was a lot louder than before!"

"Why are you shouting? Quiet!" Thistlelight growled. "I took a look at you and it seems as though you were hit on your right ear."

"My ear?!" she mewed in panic.

"It won't damage your hearing, it just seems to make you very sensitive to sound, meaning if it's too loud you _will_ feel dizzy. If you're in a situation like that, run away from the noise."

"What? Is it permanent?" she said in confusion.

"It seems so."

"No!" she yowled.

Thistlelight let her deal with her grief. A while later, he mewed, "And on that subject, how are your eyes?"

"You know..?" she whispered.

"Yes, and Larksong told me that she thought you knew as well."

"But-"

"How are they?"

"I can't see detail anymore, everything is blurred and things too far away seem too big or too small."

"How do you cope?"

"I normally close my eyes and concentrate on my hearing, although," she continued bitterly, "now that's messed up too!"

"You'll be fine, now have some sleep."

 **The next morning...**

Sunlight filtered into the medicine cat's den and Echopaw woke up with a start. She hadn't realised that it was sun-high. Mapleshade had left her just for that night because she had a bad night's sleep.

"How are you?" Thistlelight asked curtly.

"Fine."

"Then you can go."

As she ran out, he called after her, "and no training for today!"

Birdclaw was nowhere to be found so she couldn't even ask what she'd missed. Sulkily, she went and sat by the fresh-kill pile, waiting for fresh-kill from a hunting patrol.

"Echopaw!" Patchstar called.

Echopaw hurried over. "Yes?"

"Go speak to Sweetbriar about blindness." Patchstar blinked sympathetically, so Echopaw guessed she knew that Echopaw knew.

"Why?" she asked in confusion.

"Because I say so!" Patchstar told her firmly, but not angrily.

Sweetbriar's POV:

Ah, there she was. The blind kit. What was her name again? Oh, of course, Stonekit...no...Echokit! Such an unusual name for an unusual cat...well, 'Echo' suited a blind cat, after all...but nobody would have known what she was to become. She looked wary, but it must be because of Darkfoot. She also seemed as though she'd suffered a lot, and was wise beyond her years, but she looked weak. Yes, she had muscles, but her luxurious pelt covered them, as well as her many scars. Sweetbriar wondered what happened. She could see the cloudiness in the kit's gaze, but her eyes were alert as well. She seemed big for a kit...of course, she's not a kit! She's an apprentice! Her mentor was...Pineleaf? No, Birdclaw, of course. But then as an apprentice, Echo _paw_ was very small.

"I'll...just go, then..." Echopaw mewed nervously. Sweetbriar realised that she'd been focusing her good eye on Echopaw and her blind one at the ground.

"Sorry, dear."

"Oh."

"Come, have a seat."

"Stay away from _me_ though." growled a voice from the shadowy corner of the den.

Echopaw looked scared, Sweetbriar realised that few cats had even heard Darkfoot speak, his gravelly voice was often wasted growling and hissing instead of talking, which, she reflected, was a good thing she loved talking.

"Uhm..." Echopaw mewed.

"Sorry! Please, forgive me. If I do that again, get Darkfoot to nip me. No, seriously, just prod me. I daydream a lot."

"Okay."

"Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Take a seat...wait, you have. Blindness, hmm? Well, as you can tell, your sight is affected. It makes hunting and fighting tricky, so you need to rely on hearing and smelling where everything is. Of course, I haven't hunted or fought since I became blind, so I wouldn't know... Close your eyes, be a dear, and try to find the exit of the den."

Echopaw immediately turned and left the den, coming back a moment later.

"Well done! Maybe that was a little bit too easy...Try to find a stick in the nursery and go give it to Darkfoot."

Echopaw stood still for a moment before bending down and grabbing the small twig that Sweetbriar had pulled from her nest that morning. She walked straight to Darkfoot and stopped just the right distance away, giving him the stick.

"Oh, well done!"

"I've been practising." Echopaw mumbled.

"Well, that was smart!"

"Echopaw, come. They need their sleep." Thistelight mewed gently.

 _Sleep? But it's only sun-high..._

She looked outside and to her shock, it was almost sunset.

"Time passes, doesn't it?" Thistlelight mewed warmly. "I think it's your bedtime too."

 **To be honest, I didn't realise how similar this is to Jaypaw in a way...well, not really, but a young cat going blind/blind going to speak to an elder about blindness instead of training...yeah. Echo and Jay even look similar, right?**

 **Do warriors say dear? Like as a name? That's bad explaining. That's bad grammar. Anyway, I mean like "hello, dear." that sorta thing.**

 **Anyway, please review!**

 **QOTD:**

 **If you could be in any Clan, what would it be, and what rank?**

 **(I say WindClan, deputy (but never leader))**


	16. Chapter 14

**Hey!**

 **Ok so it's school again so I might do just one chapter every two days, sorry about that.**

 **I could also do a 500 word chapter every day, which I'm going to try to do at first, and see how that goes.**

Echopaw's POV:

As her training with Mapleshade grew more ruthless, she grew more ruthless too, however there was always that little spark inside of her, fighting against killing other cats. Mapleshade teased her about it, but Echopaw was adamant. No killing.

Her training with Birdclaw, however, was not going well. She was more and more tired, and although she knew most of the moves by heart, she didn't have the energy. She had overheard him talking to Patchstar about his 'lazy' apprentice and she had been furious. It wasn't her fault Mapleshade never let her sleep!

So now, as she wandered through the Dark Forest towards Mapleshade, she decided that she would ask for some nights off.

"You're late." Mapleshade greeted her with a hiss.

"Can I have some nights to sleep?" Echopaw asked.

"Why?" Mapleshade asked in suspicion.

"To catch up on my sleep."

"You don't need to."

"Well then I can train much harder, and for longer, on the nights I do come."

"Clever." said Mapleshade, "but not clever enough."

"Please!"

"Begging now, are we?" Mapleshade said, obviously enjoying the moment.

"My Clanmates are getting suspicious! They know I haven't been sleeping and if they see one of my scars they'll put two and two together!"

Mapleshade seemed more concerned about this than Echopaw had anticipated.

"That would ruin the plan..." she murmured.

"Sorry, what?" Echopaw asked.

"Nothing...alright, you can have some nights off. One night training, one night off. Nothing more or less."

"Thank you!" Echopaw gasped in relief.

And they began training.

Birdclaw's POV:

 **A few sunrises later...**

His apprentice had improved, that he was sure of. She performed all moves with energy, and most of the time correctly. Her hunting was excellent, but he was a bit worried. She often instinctively unsheathed her claws in their sparring sessions and often cowered if he pointed out a major mistake or beat her. He'd also felt some healing scars on her left flank when he was showing her a stalking technique, and this all led to one conclusion. She was training somewhere else. He guessed that she and the other apprentices possibly trained together, but he had no proof. He had followed her completely on three separate occasions, all day, and seen nothing. He had guessed that she knew he was following her, she had an uncanny way of knowing things like that.

Now, they were practising a rather advanced move used when it was raining or the ground was wet.

"You stay on patches of dry earth or leaves or clumps of grass and dart around, confusing your attacker. They then slip in the mud and you dart in, nipping their ears and making sure they can't get up," he explained.

She was listening intently, she obviously had never heard of this move. He felt some satisfaction to that, it was a move he himself had invented and he was very proud of it. They spent all afternoon working on it beside the river, keeping an eye out for RiverClan cats. She didn't grasp the concept at first but although she darted easily over the leaves, there was none of the sureness behind her blows that he was used to. By the end of the day, however, she had mastered it. She wasn't a natural fighter, that was for sure, however, with training, she could be excellent. He also thought that she was more interested in tactics and sneaky tricks than actual fighting, which he appreciated, being one of those cats himself.

He dismissed her after she gave the elders some food and he settled down to eat. Patchstar walked over, with Pineleaf and Brindletail.

"We want to organise an assessment." Patchstar said.

"Already?" he almost choked on his mouse. "But they haven't been training long enough!"

"Not a warrior assessment, just an assessment."

"Okay, what for?"

"Hunting, but we'll ambush them at the end to test their fighting skills. We want to see how well they work as a team." Patchstar told him.

 **How was that? Not that long I'm afraid, but hopefully interesting...sort of.**

 **Please review!**

 **QOTD:**

 **Who is your least favourite character, and why?**

 **Off the top of my head, I would say Lionblaze or Bramblestar. I mean, Lionkit and Lionpaw is nice, but Lionblaze gets so stuck up and selfish and oh I don't know. Brambleclaw's just too perfect, and he isn't that bad but I Bramblestar is just...ugh. I hugely dislike Bramblestar. Hugely!**


	17. Chapter 15

**Hey! So another reason I'm not writing 1000 word long chapters is because of exams. Normally, I don't study till the day before, but these ones are important so I'm making an effort...**

 **Without further ado,**

Patchstar's POV:

She was sprinting through the forest, trees crashing down around her. A flame-pelted tom yowled as he pushed a kit out of the way of a falling tree, getting stuck himself. Her breath in her throat, she watched as the tom's Clanmates gathered around. He went still, then shakily moved a bit and was dug out. _He was a leader_. She took a deep breath. It was alright. She thought of her Clan. Are there any flame-pelted toms? Runningstream was ginger, but that tom was dark ginger...Foxwhisker, perhaps? Or Pineleaf...but that tom looked younger than either of those warriors. Reedpaw or Finchpaw? She took a deep, shaky breath. She was on her last life...would Runningstream appoint his son as deputy when he became leader, or would it be Reedpaw...but Foxwhisker looked almost identical to the tom she saw...

"Patchstar?" It was Thistelight. He pushed his way into her den and said, "I'm going to the Moonstone, if anyone gets hurt then Sweetbriar knows basic herbs."

She nodded. "Okay. Do you need a warrior escort?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? I know Bloomleaf is waiting for her first warrior assignment..."

"Okay, fine, she can come."

Thistlelight's POV:

Bloomleaf scampered around the trail ahead of him. She reminded him of a kit.

"Relax, Bloomleaf. We have a long way to go."

"You do." she corrected. "I'm just going to Fourtrees."

"Whatever," he said grouchily.

"Respect your elders!" she said, cuffing him.

"You're only five moons older than me _and_ I'm your medicine cat."

She ignored him. "Look at this pretty leaf!"

He padded over. It looked like a normal leaf to him. "Nice," he said, unenthusiastically.

When they finally reached the RiverClan border, Sandybank was waiting for them with Poppypaw.  
"Finally, I thought you'd be-" he cut off sharply as he saw Bloomleaf.

"Bloomleaf!" he called.

"Hey!" she replied.

"How do you know her warrior name?" Thistlelight asked suspiciously.

Sandybank looked awkward.

"Come on, we can tell him!" Bloomleaf said impatiently, shoving Sandybank. Poppypaw looked confused.

"We're littermates," Sandybank informed them.

"What?!" yelped Thistlelight.

Echopaw's POV:

Stealthily, she darted among the trees.

"What?!" yelped a cat, she thought it was Thistlelight.

She heard a hushed conversation, and she strained her ears to hear. She wasn't close enough. She darted away from her hiding spot and sprinted to a rock close to the river.

"Let's get going." she heard an unfamiliar voice say, she thought it was Sandybank's apprentice.

She growled inwardly. She missed the whole conversation!

"Well, you passed." hissed a voice in her ear. _Mapleshade_.

She felt a shudder of fear. It was time for her final assessment.

 **Who noticed the Firestar reference? Okay that was obvious nevermind. I added that for two reasons:**

 **1\. Patch does get visions of the far future (not like Moth Flight but like a future she won't be in)**

 **2\. You see how many lives she has left**

 **Sorry for cliff-hangers, they're so fun to write!**

 **What did you think of that?**

 **QOTD:**

 **If Mosskit had survived, what do you think her warrior name would've been?**

 **I think Mossleaf, Mosspelt or Mossriver (yes I know Mossriver technically isn't allowed but it sounds nice)**


	18. Chapter 16

**Hey! This is a sort of boring chapter as I have not been able to think clearly (my house is being renovated) with all the noise, nevertheless, I hope it's enjoyable!**

 **Can you raed tihs? If you can yuor eeyighst and biran is vrey good. (Unlike Echopaw! No that's mean nevermind).**

 **(Sorry just felt like it).**

Echopaw's POV:

She clawed Birdclaw, forcing him back. She shoved him roughly onto his side and almost glowed with pride when he slipped in the mud. She turned around to see how Finchpaw was doing with Pineleaf just in time to hear a whooshing noise behind her as Birdclaw leaped up and slammed into her, making her drop down.

"Never turn your back!" he spat. She wriggled, trying to get up.

"You're just too distracted by every noise! And for you, especially, concentrating is important. You don't have good eyesight, and you need to make an effort or you'll never be a warrior!"

She bristled. If only he knew! But she knew that she couldn't tell anyone, not even Finchpaw and Rosepaw. But he was right, she should be concentrating. Her eyesight was now so poor that she couldn't see in detail unless a cat stood right in front of her, and any further she could just see the colour of their pelt, if she could see them at all. She barely opened her eyes now, relying on her senses and her instinct. The Clan now knew that she had bad eyesight, although they didn't know that she would soon have no eyesight.

Birdclaw dismissed her with a grunt. Finchpaw bounded up to Echopaw.

"I heard Pineleaf and Brindletail and Birdclaw speaking! We're having an assessment!"

Echopaw pricked her ears. Finally she could prove herself! But she had to ask Finchpaw something.

"What colour are my eyes?" she asked him urgently.

"They're still...like dark turquoise, but they're sort of cloudy and milky." he said, obviously confused by the odd question. "Why?"

"I don't want cats to realise that I'm blind and treat me like I'm weak."

"You're blind?" he asked in shock.

"Not yet! And keep your voice down," she hissed back.

"Oh...I thought..." he changed tactics quickly, "but they still have time to change, right?"

"Yeah, but I thought...never mind," she said.

Birdclaw's POV:

"You are to catch as much prey as you can, then meet at Snakerocks, without getting bitten by any snakes. When all three of you are there, make your way to the training hollow," he said, ignoring the looks of excitement the apprentices were sharing.

"Is there a time limit?" asked Echopaw. Birdclaw glared at her.

"Of course. Be at Snakerocks by sunset, and by the sandy hollow by moonrise."

"But that's late!" Rosepaw mewed.

"I don't care." he scowled. "Now get going."

Echopaw's POV:

She stalked the mouse, slowly, silently. She heard a twig snap behind her, and a familiar scent hit her nostrils. Birdclaw was trying to foul her catch! She propelled herself forward and caught the mouse as it dived for its hole.

"I know you're there," she began, "I hope you realize that you can't stop me like that."

She caught a lot of prey, it was running well that day. Just before sunset, she had carried her prey all the way to Snakerocks. It wasn't easy, and she kept dropping prey, but she made it at last. Finchpaw and Rosepaw were waiting for her. They compared catches, Finchpaw had two mice and a squirrel while Rosepaw had a mouse, a water vole, two shrews, a young rabbit, an elderly squirrel and a large chaffinch. Echopaw had three mice, a thrush and a squirrel.

They made their way slowly to the sandy training hollow and put their prey in three seperate piles, hoping their mentors would be impressed. It was moonrise and their mentors still weren't there. Echopaw frowned. Something seemed wrong...

"They're going to ambush us!" she hissed, just as a large shape hurtled towards them. Echopaw could tell that it was large by the sounds its paws made as it ran, straight to Finchpaw. She felt Birdclaw rush past her before spinning, and she braced herself for the attack. She shoved him and darted around, batting his ears as she did so. She sliced a claw down his side and for a moment, she thought she was winning...suddenly, she began to feel faint, and she struggled to stay conscious. With a snarl, Birdclaw swiped at her face, claws barely sheathed. She ducked and clumsily swiped, falling over. The sounds of battle threatened to crush her and she let sleep overwhelm her.

She woke just before she was dragged unceremoniously into camp. She twisted out of Pineleaf's grip and fell down. She could feel worried gazes settling on her pelt, and when Birdclaw spoke, she could tell he had been concerned.

"Are you okay?" he said, trying to sound gruff but failing.

"Yeah."

Rosepaw piped up. "I was so scared!"

Finchpaw mewed in agreement, and Echopaw could imagine him nodding.

"It's like Sunningrocks all over again, isn't it?" Rosepaw asked.

Echopaw was shocked at her sister's bluntness. Rosepaw never missed anything, and she was quick to point things out.

"Yes."

"So you're saying my apprenice is useless in battle?" Birdclaw hissed, obviously thinking that Echopaw was fine now.

She bristled. "I'm not useless!"

Yet she knew that wasn't quite true.

 **Hope that was interesting! Almost a 1000 word chapter for a weekday, I'm proud of myself!**

 **QOTD:**

 **If you in the Warriors world, what would you be? (From the below options):**

 **Queen-**

 **Deputy-**

 **Leader-**

 **Medicine cat-**

 **I would be a deputy, but never a leader. I think this question is similar to another, so there's a bonus QOTD:**

 **Which warrior cat do you respect the most?**

 **I'd say Jayfeather or Longtail (or Briarlight).**


	19. Chapter 17

**Hey! Ok, so this chapter might not be great (for some reason all my google stuff was reset and I had to get my bookmarks and accounts and extensions and stuff in order and it's still not complete because I just remembered this story.**

 **Anyway, let's begin!**

Birdclaw's POV:

He sat quietly beside Pineleaf and Brindletail as they reported to Patchstar.

"Finchpaw's hunting was good, and his fighting was excellent. He took on both me and Birdclaw after Echopaw...you know." Pineleaf reported, glancing apologetically at Birdclaw.

"Rosepaw is an amazing hunter and her fighting skills were on point," Brindletail stated.

"Echopaw could not fight at all, and she failed the assessment," Birdclaw growled.

"Be fair, Birdclaw. Her fighting wasn't bad until she fainted," chastened Brindletail.

"Her hunting was excellent, she caught almost as much as Rosepaw!" Pineleaf exclaimed.

Patchstar looked at him. "What do you think?"

"She failed," he said shortly, before turning and leaving.

Echopaw's POV:

Birdclaw had been cold with her since the assessment, and she noticed how Pineleaf and Brindletail often took her out with their apprentices. Birdclaw pushed her in everything she did, and she still fell short of his expectations.

"Wanna come hunting?" Rosepaw asked. Echopaw nodded, glaring at Birdclaw as she strode past him.

That night, Mapleshade came to her.

"Birdclaw is such a useless piece of fox-dung!" Mapleshade exclaimed hotly.

Echopaw agreed with her.

"He doesn't deserve to be your mentor!"

Echopaw knew that was true.

"He doesn't respect you, or understand how powerful you are!"

"Yeah, but what do I do about it?" Echopaw asked.

"Kill him."

"What?! I can't kill a Clanmate!"

"You already have," Mapleshade said.

"That's not true!" Echopaw bristled. "You killed Dappleheart!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Stop blaming me! It was you!"

"Be honest! You feel guilty!"

"No, I don't!"

But that wasn't true. Echopaw felt guilty, even though, she kept telling herself, it wasn't her fault.

They trained, the whole time Mapleshade taunting Echopaw. By the end, Echopaw was tired, muddy, sore and angry.

Mapleshade's POV:

She watched the apprentice go with narrowed eyes. She had to learn to listen, that cat. Echopaw was too strong-minded, but not strong enough. She needed more training. She needed a thirst for revenge, a thirst to prove herself. She needed a reason.

She pondered this for a moment. If she killed Echopaw's littermates, or her father, she risked being exposed, and she risked losing Echopaw. But what if she made Birdclaw taunt Echopaw more? What if she made Echopaw too tired to listen to him? There were countless oppurtunities, and Mapleshade knew the risks of them all, but surely it was worth it?

She had to _make_ Echopaw listen to her. She had to _make_ her destroy her Clan. She was almost ready. Soon, Mapleshade's plans would begin to unravel, leaving behind death and destruction. She was ready, but what about Echopaw?

 **Oooh, the end is coming! I had to do a Maple scene...**

 **I don't know how many chapters I'm planning on creating, probably anything from 20 to 30.**

 **Anyway, how was that?  
**

 **QOTD:**

 **What is your favourite prophecy?**

 **My favourite has to be**

 **(SPOILERs)**

 **There will be three, kin of your kin who will hold the power of the stars in their paws. They will find a fourth, and the battle between light and dark will be won. A new leader will rise from the shadows of his death, and the Clans will survive beyond the memories of his memories. This is how it has always been, and how it will always be.**


	20. Chapter 18

**Sorry, this'll be short, hopefully on the weekend I'll have longer chapters. It's short because I am extremely busy studying properly for the first time in my life and am not allowed on my laptop as much...**

 **Also on Saturday I may not even have a chapter at all as I have a school function.**

Echopaw's POV:

She yawned and instantly heard a soft paw. In shock, she leaped around to attack her assailant.

"Whoa, whoa." Reedpaw mewed.

"What?" she hissed.

He pretended to look hurt. "Robinflight wants you, apparently Patchstar wanted her to test your skills with an...unbiased mentor."

"Why would Birdclaw be biased?"

"Don't you know? He's Dappleheart's brother, and he expects you to be the best..."

"Oh," whispered Echopaw. So that was why he pushed her so much.

"Hurry up! Patchstar's with her!" Reedpaw hissed.

"Why didn't you say so?" she mewed in alarm, leaping up and sprinting to where Robinflight sat beside the fresh-kill pile.

"Echopaw." Robinflight greeted her sternly.

"Sorry..." she mewed.

"It's okay," Robinflight replied. "Now let's go!"

Echopaw, Reedpaw and Robinflight ran through the trees, side by side. Robinflight skidded to a halt. "Go to Sunningrocks!"

Echopaw and Reedpaw exchanged nervous glances and hared off to Sunningrocks.

They reached Sunningrocks a heartbeat before Robinflight. Robinflight shoved Echopaw into the river; luckily it was calm.

Echopay flailed around, struggling to get out of the water. Reedpaw leaned in a reached out a paw to her, just in time. She climbed out and Robinflight nodded approvingly.

"Climb this tree!" she ordered, before climbing a similar one.

Echopaw knew this was a test, so she scrambled up the one Robinflight had mentioned. She reached the top just after Robinflight, Reedpaw hard on her heels. Robinflight began climbing down, but Echopaw knew a quicker way. Measuring the distance, she jumped into a bush, the leafy branches breaking her fall.

"Are you _insane_?" spat Robinflight. Echopaw shook her head.

"I've done this before, it's easy."

Even though that was partly true, her muscles ached and her back felt jarred, nonetheless, Robinflight snorted disapprovingly and ran off.

"Keep up!" Robinflight called over her shoulder.

Echopaw poured on the speed and slowly, she overtook Robinflight. Gasping for breath, the two of them sat down in the shade while they waited for Reedpaw, who was still recovering from his tree-climb.

As he approached, Robinflight charged at him. Out of breath and gasping, Reedpaw could do nothing but watch Robinflight with scared eyes as she rained blow after blow on him. Echopaw grunted and jumped to his rescue, however Robinflight was unlike any cat she'd faced before. She just managed to knock Robinflight away from Reedpaw, who, after his tough training with Robinflight, was strong enough to fight her off. Gasping, Echopaw and Reedpaw could only stand there as Robinflight made her way back to camp.

"Come on!" she called irritably.

"Coming," grunted Reedpaw.

They trudged back to camp on weary legs.

Patchstar was waiting for them. "How did they do?"

"Excellently," Robinflight purred.

"We'll hold Reedpaw and Featherpaw's warrior ceremonies at sunset."

Reedpaw jumped in excitement and ran to tell Featherpaw.

 **Later that day...**

Echopaw slid into her nest, watching the newly-named Feathercloud and Reedfall sit silently in their vigil. She yawned, and woke to Mapleshade looming over her.

"Assessment time," Mapleshade snarled.

 **Yay! Cliff-hangers, don't you love them?! I hope Reed and Feather's names are nice...**

 **QOTD:**

 **What do you think Finchpaw's warrior name should be?**

 **I have a name for Rose and Echo's is on a poll on my profile (please vote on it!) but what about Finch? Not saying I'll make them warriors soon but it's just for the future.**

I think Finchfeather sounds nice...


	21. Chapter 19

**Oh my word, I'm so sorry!**

 **I'll try to do a longer chapter to make up for it, but I don't have much time... in 20 minutes I'm going out, but I'll try.**

Echopaw's POV:

"Assessment?"

"Yes!" Mapleshade spat in exasperation. "I told you last time!"

Echopaw racked her brains. "Oh yeah..."

"Are you ready?"

"Wait! No! I already did an assessment today so I'm tired."

"Perfect," Mapleshade said, striding away without a backward glance.

Echopaw scowled and followed her.

 **Later that night...**

Echopaw's muscles were aching from all the things she'd done. She'd climbed the rock again, the highest tree...She'd swam across the river, fought in mud, tracked Mapleshade through the Dark Forest...now, it was her final assessment.

"This is Yewleaf." Mapleshade mewed, gesturing with her tail to a small, dark ginger she-cat.

"To pass your final assessment, you must kill her."

Echopaw gasped. "No! I won't _ever_ kill a cat!"

Mapleshade snarled. "Not even the one who cursed you to become blind?"

Echopaw shook her head angrily. "Nobody cursed me! Stop taking advantage of my weakness!"

Yewleaf glared at her. "I did. I have that power, and I don't know why, but I have it. I made you blind. I can control any cat."

Echopaw hardly heard the rest of what she said. _I did_. This was the cat who was responsible for _everything_! She launched herself at Yewleaf and held her down. Mapleshade had taught her the killing bite, but Echopaw was so angry she didn't care. She would make Yewleaf _pay_.

Yewleaf sprang up and twisted, grabbing Echopaw's neck in her jaws. She missed the skin and just bit her fur and some of her scruff. Echopaw dropped, rolled, and leaped back onto Yewleaf's back. She dug her claws in as Yewleaf began snapping at her. They continued like this for a while, both of them becoming more and more tired.

Echopaw dropped, rolled and stayed down. She was too tired.

"Come on!" Mapleshade hissed.

"Weakling!" Yewleaf taunted.

"Fight!" Mapleshade ordered.

"Can't..." Echopaw murmured.

Yewleaf drew her lips back in a leer. "I'm the one who killed Dappleheart."

"That was Mapleshade!"

"No. It wasn't. I made her weak enough so that one bite from Mapleshade could kill her, but she could have fought back. I cursed her like I cursed you!"

Echopaw sprang to her paws, filled with energy. It surged through her, making her feel more powerful than she'd ever felt.

"She was a coward, a weakling..." Yewleaf spat, before Echopaw charged at her. For the first time all night, Echopaw saw fear in Yewleaf's eyes.

Echopaw got up. "I won't kill you." She said, her energy draining away.

Yewleaf growled. "Then say goodbye to Finchpaw, Rosepaw, Runningstream..."

"Why do you _want_ to die?" Echopaw asked in confusion, as Yewleaf forced Echopaw's paw onto her throat.

"I've caused...too much pain..." Yewleaf whispered. Mapleshade turned and glared at her.

"Had a change of heart?" Mapleshade taunted.

Yewleaf gasped for breath. "Yes. I never...wanted to help you..."

Echopaw narrowed her eyes. "You could undo all that by taking away all the curses you've inflicted on cats."

"I...can't..."

"But..." Echopaw began, only to notice Yewleaf starting to fade.

"I'm sorry..."

Yewleaf's voice was less than a whisper, and her body grew cold, and her eyes stared unseeing up at Echopaw.

Mapleshade turned away coldly. "You passed. Well done, your _real_ training starts tomorrow."

 **The next morning...**

Echopaw sat, staring sightlessly at her blurred paws. Her eyesight was now so bad that she could only see close things blurred. There was no detail in anything she saw. There was no point in looking, no point in caring. It was Yewleaf's fault, but it was Echopaw's fault that Yewleaf was dead. In a way, Yewleaf helped Echopaw. She helped her realise how important her family was, and it was because of Yewleaf that Echopaw was among the best stalkers, ambushers and hunters in the Clan. It was because of Mapleshade that she was a good fighter. She owed nothing to herself. Better, braver, more powerful cats...it was because of them that she was so good at what she enjoyed.

"Echopaw!" Reedfall called.

She pricked her ears. "Yes?"

"You're on my patrol. Birdclaw's also coming, but Patchstar's letting me lead it! We're patrolling the ShadowClan border."

Echopaw sighed and nodded. She could go out on patrol, with her best friend and her mentor, and forget about Mapleshade and Yewleaf. She could just enjoy being a normal cat, leading a normal Clan life...

 **Well, how was that? Don't worry, it wasn't the end!**

 **QOTD:**

 **If you could create a Clan, what would you name it?**

 **I honestly don't know, I used to have a SandClan...and a WillowClan...**


	22. Allegiance update and notice

**So here is an updated allegiance list!**

 **Big thanks to J.B.A.2 for Stonetooth! (I made him have blue eyes because you didn't specify, is that okay?)**

 **Allegiances**  
 **ThunderClan** :

 ** _Leader:_** Patchstar (black and white she-cat, amber eyes) stern but understanding

 _ **Deputy:**_ Runningstream (pale ginger tom, green eyes) gentle, smart

 _ **Medicine cat:**_ Thistlelight (pale grey tom, blue eyes) excitable and eager

 _ **Warriors:**_

Brindletail (pale grey brindled she-cat, amber eyes) kind but strong _(_ _Rosepaw)_

Foxwhisker (dark ginger tom with leaf-green eyes) speedy, good hunter, fun

Robinflight (dark brown she-cat, blue eyes) stern, loyal and commited.

Pineleaf (dark brown-ginger tom, green eyes) fun, strong and demanding ( _Finchpaw)_

Birdclaw (small white tom, blue eyes) strong and vicious _(Echopaw)_

Cedarflame (dark russet tom, deep green eyes) cranky, sarcastic and solitary

Bloomleaf (pretty tortoisehell she-cat, green eyes) bubbly, energetic and encouraging

Duskfur (scrawny pale brown tom, green eyes) shy and wary

Squirreltail (large, fluffy ginger tom, green eyes) bouncy and talkative

Ashbark (dark grey she-cat, amber eyes) stealthy and sly

Snakestrike (small, black tom with acid-green eyes) vicious and speedy

Mousepelt (small brown tom, pale golden eyes) boastful but kind

Feathercloud (silver she-cat, green eyes) gentle and swift

Reedfall (ginger tom, amber eyes) quick and strong

 _ **Apprentices:**_

Echopaw (pale grey, beautiful aqua eyes) determined but shy

Finchpaw (golden tom, green eyes) eager and strong

Rosepaw (dark ginger, almost red she-cat, dark blue eyes) sweet but nervous

 _ **Queens:**_

Briarflower: (black she-cat with yellow eyes) sly and strong

Flowerpetal: (creamy she-cat with amber eyes) soft and anxious

 _ **Elders:**_

Darkfoot (grey tom, black foot, green eyes) grumpy and rude

Sweetbriar (pale russet she-cat, one blind eye, one green eye) sweet and gentle

 **WindClan:**

 _ **Leader:**_ Stormstar (pale grey she-cat with gorse-green eyes) wise and a good leader

 _ **Deputy:**_ Rabbitfur (scrawny brown tom with pale green eyes) calm but hostile when needed

 _ **Medicine cat** **:**_ Gorsefur (pale brown tom with amber eyes) silent and watchful _(Harepaw)_

 _ **Warriors:**_

Brightfoot (ginger she-cat with brown eyes) stern and hostile

Berryhazel (dusty brown she-cat with bright blue eyes) playful, smart and quick-thinking

Nightwhisper (black she-cat with dark green eyes) smart, silent and strong _(Ashpaw)_

 _ **Apprentices:**_

Harepaw (pale grey tom, brown eyes) speedy and smart

Ashpaw (pale grey she-cat with blue-brown eyes) hostile and grumpy

 **ShadowClan:**  
 _ **Leader:** _Scorchstar (huge dark grey tom, amber eyes) vicious but intelligent

 _ **Deputy:**_ Mousefang (small brown she-cat, yellow eyes) deceitful, sly, good at battle plans

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Crowflash (dappled brown she-cat, white flash on chest, green eyes) smart, quick-thinking, gentle _(Frogpaw)_

 _ **Warriors:**_

Scarstripe (white tom with scars, amber eyes) cruel and quick to anger _(Marshpaw)_

Stonetooth (Smoky gray tom, twin scars on back, dark blue eyes) harsh, cruel, judgemental, fiercely protective _(Hollypaw)_

 _ **Apprentices:**_

Frogpaw (small, grey tom with green eyes) bossy and very eager

Marshpaw (large, dark brown tom with striking blue eyes) aloof and silent

Hollypaw (black she-cat with bright green eyes) playful and loud

 **RiverClan:**  
 _ **Leader:**_ Ripplestar (large, silky gray tom, ice blue eyes) stern, calm and thoughtful

 _ **Deputy:** _Pebblefoot (long-furred silver she-cat, deep blue eyes) understanding but fierce in battle _(Splashpaw)_

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Sandybank (pale ginger tom with green eyes) goofy, smart _(Poppypaw)_

 _ **Warriors:**_

Muddypelt: (dark brown tabby tom, yellow eyes) unforgiving and battle-hungry

Minnowstream (sleek grey she-cat with deep blue eyes) friendly and a good swimmer

 _ **Apprentices:**_

Splashpaw: (beautiful pale grey she-cat, amber eyes) playful, energetic and a quick learner

Poppypaw: (small calico she-cat, green eyes) wise, gentle and highly respected  
 **So yeah.**  
 **Notice:**  
 **I'm so, so, so sorry! I don't think I can manage a chapter a day anymore, but I'll try to update at least once a week? I'm super sorry!**  
 **Ok, that's enough sorrys...**  
 **SORRY!**


	23. Chapter 20

**Ok guys, I am so so so sorry.**

 **To make up for it, I was thinking that I'll try to write a really long chapter over the course of one week and release it on Sunday.**

 **Anyway, I am extremely sorry.**

 **Thanks to Guest for Night, I added her.**

 **I also added some more apprentices in the other Clans.**

 **To be honest, I had no inspiration and this might be boring, I hope not...**

 **Also, I'm extremely busy this weekend...I went out for the whole day for someone's birthday and I've been busy so please don't be mad, this will be a horribly short chapter...SORRY! I promise PROMISE that it'll be a long chapter next week.**

Finchpaw's POV:

"WindClan has two new warriors, Berryhazel and Nightwhisper." Stormstar announced.

The clearing rang with cheers.

"Berryhazel! Nightwhisper!"

Finchpaw spotted a dusty brown she-cat sitting beside a black she-cat, both of them had their heads held high. _That'll be me soon!_

Echopaw, Rosepaw and Finchpaw were at their first Gathering together. So far, WindClan had two new warriors and ShadowClan had chased a fox away. RiverClan had nothing to report.

"WindClan also has two new apprentices, Harepaw and Ashpaw. Ashpaw has been apprenticed to Nightwhisper and Harepaw has decided to follow the path of a medicine cat." Stormstar added. "Unfortunately, they are not here tonight."

"Ashpaw! Harepaw!"

"ThunderClan also has two new warriors, Reedfall and Feathercloud," Patchstar said.

Finchpaw craned his neck to see the two warriors, they sat proudly, only their twitching tails betraying their excitement.

A black ShadowClan apprentice sprinted across the clearing.

"Feathercloud!" it yowled happily, running in circles around the dazed warrior.

"Hollypaw! Get here immediately! This is a Gathering, and you are representing your Clan!" spat a smoky-grey tom with twin scars on his back. Finchpaw winced when he saw them, they looked like burn marks.

"Sorry Stonetooth," Hollypaw said meekly.

Finchpaw gasped. _Stonetooth!_ Stonetooth was a legendary cat. He survived being trapped in a Two-Leg den, while it was on _fire_!

He winced again in sympathy but shook it away as Stonetooth glared at him and spat under his breath, " _ThunderClan_..."

Echopaw was sitting by herself at the edge of the clearing, speaking to nobody. Finchpaw exchanged a glance with Rosepaw. This Gathering was a peaceful one, and all the Clans were mingling. She should be taking advantage of that.

Echopaw's POV:

She sat at the edge of the clearing, thinking of a way to get rid of Mapleshade. Recently she'd been trying to get Echopaw to destroy herbs and take prey and lead foxes to camp. She'd finally discovered Mapleshade's true intentions, and she didn't like them. But why did she want to destroy ThunderClan? Because she was still bitter, after all this time? Or was there a darker reason? She jerked upright suddenly as she felt Mapleshade appear beside her. _Can she read my mind?_

Thankfully, Mapleshade didn't seem to sense what she was thinking.

"Go speak to that ShadowClan warrior. Tell him that ThunderClan was hunting in ShadowClan because you have no prey. Pretend to ask permission." Mapleshade sneered.

There she was again, trying to get ThunderClan in danger.

"But that's not true!" Echopaw exclaimed, causing several cats to look over at her. Adding in a whisper, "How does it help ThunderClan?"

"It'll make ShadowClan angry. You can take their territory easily, because angry cats fight blindly and badly."

"You told me that angry cats fight recklessly and dangerously!" Echopaw accused.

Mapleshade blinked. "So I did, but _ShadowClan_ fight blindly and badly when they are angry."

"Hey, Echopaw!" Finchpaw called. Mapleshade hissed and dissolved.

"What?"

"Splashpaw, Hollypaw, Harepaw and Ashpaw are having a competition to see who can stalk the softest, wanna come?"

"Sure." Echopaw mewed, heading over.

Rosepaw's POV:

"Wow, Echopaw, I can't believe you beat a _ShadowClan_ cat in stalking!" she mewed in amazement.

"She was too impatient." Echopaw replied.

"Rosepaw, you were amazing as well! I can't believe you _pounced_ on Harepaw as he tried to stalk you!"

"Ah, well..." Rosepaw mewed modestly.

"You three, hurry up! Do you want to be left out here, all alone, with a fox stalking you?" Runningstream mewed, referring to the fox chased out of ShadowClan's territory.

"Harepaw tried to stalk me, and he couldn't, while foxes are a lot worse at stalking than a cat." Rosepaw mewed, causing Finchpaw to mrrow with laughter.

 **Oki doki**

 **QOTW**

 **(Questions of the week)**

 **(Which would you rather be?)**

 **RiverClan or SkyClan?**

 **She-cat or tom?**

 **Warrior or Medicine cat?**

 **Strong or quick?**

 **Fighter or hunter? (hunter for herbs if medicine cat)**

 **Green eyes or blue eyes?**

 **White, black, gray or brown fur?**

 **I'd be:**

 **A SkyClan she-cat. A quick warrior who is good at hunting. Green eyes and brown fur.**

 **OR**

 **A RiverClan tom. A strong medicine cat who is good at fighting if need be. Blue eyes and black fur.**


	24. Chapter 21 (mini allegiance update)

**Hey!**

 **I've been working a week on this one so it should be nice, long and un-boring (is that a word?!)**

 **Also, it's a sort of Halloween special, in a way...but not...**

Echopaw's POV:

Runningstream slashed at her, claws unsheathed, pure, cold fury in his eyes.

"Leave ThunderClan, traitor...and _never_ come back!" he yowled, batting at her again.

Her father's face, normally kind, was twisted in anger.

"You killed Dappleheart! You murdered her! You selfish, lying fox-heart!"

She screeched in pain as he scratched her nose.

"Shush! Some cats are trying to sleep!" growled Finchpaw from the nest beside her. She jumped to her feet.

"Calm down, Echopaw. What's wrong?" Runningstream asked, padding in.

She spat, " _You_!" before realising that it had just been a dream. She self-consciously licked her chest fur. "I mean...I had a bad dream."

His eyes narrowed. "Well, are you up for the dawn patrol? Patchstar's leading it, so be on your best behaviour."

She nodded. "Yep!" and hurried out of her den, burning with embarassment.

The rest of the patrol was waiting for her. Patchstar greeted her coolly, Reedfall with a friendly nod, and Squirreltail blinked sympathetically at her. Birdclaw just glared.

"You're late." he spat.

Patchstar shifted her paws. "Well, now that she's here, let's go!"

Birdclaw sniffed grumpily. "I suppose we can."

Squirreltail flicked his ear with his tail. "Patchstar's leading the patrol, remember?"

He ducked his head. Echopaw felt a sense of cruel pleasure at seeing her harsh mentor scolded.

They padded through the cool forest, Echopaw reveling in all the scents. She stiffened as she caught the scent of a pheasant. "May we hunt?" she asked.

Birdclaw hissed. "Fine, waste time..."

She began stalking it, one paw in front of the other, desperate to make Birdclaw proud. She stiffened as a twig cracked behind her, glancing around she saw Reedfall gaze in horror at his paw, standing on the twig. However, the pheasant didn't notice. She took another pawstep...

 _SQUAWK!_

The pheasant let out an alarm cry as it ran off. She leaped to one side to try to cut it off, but it darted to the other. Pelt burning in embarassment for the second time that morning, she padded back to the patrol.

"Hard luck!" Squirreltail called.

"You nearly had it!" Reedfall encouraged.

"That was terrible! You've alerted half the prey in the forest now, so we couldn't hunt, and the hunting patrols probably won't find much either!" Birdclaw spat at her.

"She did nearly get it." Patchstar pointed out mildly.

"'Nearly' catches no prey." Birdclaw hissed.

More sharply now, Patchstar continued. "Don't forget, Bird _paw_ , you _nearly_ caught that squirrel."

Echopaw stifled a purr of amusement. She knew that Patchstar had been Birdclaw's mentor, and now he was being put into his place.

Patchstar turned her back on him. "Let's finish this patrol, but Birdclaw...I'm disappointed."

Echopaw felt a twinge of pity for the tom, until he turned and spat at her, "Why did I get such a _useless_ apprentice?!"

"Enough!" Patchstar hissed, knocking Birdclaw to one side. "I can see I made a mistake appointing you as a mentor. We'll have to find a replacement."

Birdclaw gasped in shock before turning and sprinting back to camp. Patchstar watched him go, sorrow in her eyes.

"He always was a hot-tempered apprentice," she remarked. "Now he's gone off to sulk, no doubt."

Reedfall and Echopaw exchanged shocked looks. Squirreltail glanced at them and began herding them away. He called back over his shoulder to Patchstar, "I'll continue the patrol, Patchstar, you can go speak to him...and his replacement."

Echopaw couldn't believe it was happening this quickly.

Patchstar shook herself. "Of course. Reedfall, will you come with me?"

Squirreltail opened his mouth to object, then clearly thought better of it. Luckily, just then, Duskfur and Ashbark crashed through the trees to them. Birdclaw's closest friends glanced around.

"Birdclaw came whining to us that Patchstar was dismissing him as a mentor, so we decided to come help with the patrol." Duskfur panted.

Ashbark hissed. "He should've known better than to bully his apprentice in front of Patchstar."

Echopaw was shocked at how Birdclaw's friends seemed to have no respect for him. Suddenly she felt guilty. She guessed that the small tom had been excited for an apprentice, so he could show the Clan his skills. She'd always known he wasn't popular, and now she felt really bad.

"Please don't tell the others about this." she begged, surprising Ashbark.

"But he bullied you!" she exclaimed.

"I think he just wanted to make sure I was a good warrior." she said. A spark of pity lit up in Ashbark's eyes.

"That's all he ever wanted, to be admired in his Clan..." she murmured.

Duskfur looked horrified. "Poor Birdclaw."

"Still, he shouldn't have an apprentice." Squirreltail said, giving Echopaw a sorrowful look.

"Yeah, he'll need to learn some self-control..." Ashbark said.

"Can we get _on_?!" Echopaw asked, instantly feeling bad for snapping. "Sorry...I mean..."

"It's fine." Squirreltail mewed, shoving her gently.

"Where to?" Duskfur asked quietly.

"ShadowClan's border. We haven't checked there for a while, because of the Sunningrocks issue." Squirreltail mewed.

Ashbark nodded in agreement. "Let's go!"

They finished the rest of the patrol without incident.

When they arrived, they found Birdclaw sitting by the entrance. Apologetically, he mewed something to Echopaw that sounded like 'sorry' before spinning to go into the forest. She blocked him.

"You were a good mentor..." She couldn't think of anything else to say. "You...taught me well." She choked. He nodded, spun and ran.

"You should feel special." Patchstar remarked. "He doesn't normally apologise. Now come, your new mentor is waiting."

They padded into camp. Reedfall was sitting by the fresh-kill pile, eyes narrowed. Squirreltail was chatting to Robinflight, every so often sending glances in their direction. Runningstream was watching them, his eyes betraying nothing. Finchpaw and Rosepaw sat beside Reedfall. Rosepaw was washing, glancing at them in between licks, while Finchpaw's eyes were dark with worry. He looked like a much older warrior. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Echopaw shuffled her paws. News travelled quickly in the Clan.

Finchpaw's POV:

Reedfall didn't seem excited, or worried...he seemed to have Runningstream's useful skill to remain motionless. He was sure that if he was chosen for a mentor, he'd be sprinting around the clearing, yowling at the top of his head. Feathercloud walked by and congratulated Reedfall, and Thistlelight blinked warmly at him, but nobody else seemed to know. Rosepaw was washing herself, her tongue swiping rhythmically over her fur. Her pelt gleamed.

He wanted to tell Echopaw who her mentor was, but he also didn't want to spoil the surprise. As the ceremony began, he saw Birdclaw slip into camp. He felt a surge of anger towards the tom, he'd always been very tough on Echopaw. But his anger melted when he saw the heart-broken look on Birdclaw's face. A few cats curled their lips when Patchstar mentioned Birdclaw, and without a word, Birdclaw slipped into the warriors den.

Rosepaw's POV:

She paused in between licks when she felt some rough skin beneath her paw. She glanced down at it; it was just a patch of grazed pad. She licked it gently, and almost missed Echopaw's look of delight and surprise when Reedfall was announced as her mentor. Finchpaw nudged her just in time.

An outbreak of muttering followed this. Loyally, Ashbark called out, "What about Birdclaw?", to which Patchstar didn't reply apart from hardening her jaw.

"He's too young!"

"Reedfall only just became a warrior!"

"Well, Nightwhisper of WindClan only just became a warrior and she has an apprentice!" Finchpaw yowled defiantly.

Reedfall seemed grateful for the support.

"Why didn't Foxwhisker get Echopaw?" shouted some cat from the front, while Foxwhisker licked his chest in embarassment, clearly not wanting to be drawn into an argument.

Echopaw and Reedfall stood in the centre, Echopaw hissing angrily and Reedfall looking around in confusion. Rosepaw got to her feet, wincing slightly as she stood on her raw pad, and padded towards them.

"Why shouldn't he get an apprentice?" she asked, but she spoke so quietly that only Bloomleaf, Cedarflame, Echopaw and Reedfall heard.

"Enough!" Patchstar spat, arching her back. "I have chosen Reedfall because he is the most level-headed, capable cat out of all the cats I considered!"

Silence met her words, before Mousepelt spoke up. "Clearly, you didn't consider me!"

Patchstar met his gaze and said acidly, "You were the first cat I considered."

Without another word, Patchstar retreated to her den. Runningstream began organising patrols.

"Ashbark, can you lead a patrol towards the ShadowClan border? Remark the boundaries and you can hunt on the way back. Take...Cedarflame, Squirreltail and Bloomleaf. Robinflight, please take Foxwhisker, Brindletail and Rosepaw hunting near Snakerocks, but be careful, there are adders around. I'll lead the last patrol, Reedfall, Echopaw and Snakestrike you can come."

"What about me?!" Finchpaw yowled. "Can I come?"

Rosepaw flicked her tail in annoyance. Her brother was so demanding!

"I suppose so. Pineleaf, you may as well come too. Feathercloud, can you and Duskfur comfort Birdclaw?" Runningstream added in an under-tone. Duskfur nodded, looking daunted, while Feathercloud dipped her head. They padded off to the warriors den while the patrols set off.

 _I want to be like Feathercloud._ Rosepaw thought. _She's an amazing hunter, she's super fast, she's kind and she can be trusted to help her Clanmates._

"Rosepaw!" mewed Robinflight in annoyance.

"Sorry!" Rosepaw called back, bounding over to her patrol.

Echopaw's POV:

She wriggled through the bush, thorns pulling at her pelt. The scent of mouse was mouth-watering, and she couldn't resist. She tasted the air to make sure her Clanmates were still nearby. Reedfall was watching in amusement as she struggled to crawl through. She squirmed and finally made it. She scrambled out of the thorny hollow and crept silently up a grassy mound. She tasted the air again. The mouse was just a fox-length in front of her. She crept forwards a bit further in a hunter's crouch before tensing her muscles, wriggling her haunches and leaping. Her claws hit air as the mouse darted away, and she flashed out a hind-leg to try desperately to catch it. To her surprise, her claws hit warm flesh. Awkwardly, she twisted around to grab it, snapping its neck. It was a plump, juicy mouse that didn't seem to know that leaf-bare was approaching fast.

"Nice catch!" Reedfall called, bounding up to her.

She nodded, unable to speak because of a mouthful of mouse. She quickly buried her catch among the roots of a large beech tree and turned to follow the rest of the patrol.

As they approached the WindClan border, she tasted the air, having heard a rustle to her left. She gasped.

" _RiverClan!_ "

The fish-faces had probably rolled in ThunderClan scent markers to mask their scent and were creeping up on the patrol.

The rustling stopped, and Echopaw heard a cat whisper, "Mouse-brain!"

"What? Where?" Runningstream asked, instantly alert. She angled her ears towards the sound.

"Go back to camp and fetch Patchstar," Runningstream said tersely, but she was already doing that.

She bounded into camp, slipping on a rock and scraping her paw. "RiverClan attack!" she yowled.

Cats glanced up, she saw Flowerpetal scurry into the nursery.

Soon, she was on her way back, with two patrols of warriors at her tail. They sprinted towards Sunningrocks. Runningstream must have spotted them because he turned and ran towards them, the sound of claws scraping on rock told her that his claws were unsheathed. Echopaw ducked, terrified that her dream would come through. She braced herself for an attack that never came...

"RiverClan scum!" he yowled as he launched himself at a large RiverClan tom who had been sneaking up on them. The tom heard Runningstream and ran. Echopaw swiveled, smelling for Finchpaw...her brother was fighting beside Pineleaf, sending two RiverClan cats squealing for their dens. Runningstream was now fighting three cats, though by the looks of things they were inexperienced apprentices. Patchstar had already run to help him, so Echopaw scented the air for another cat who needed help. Snakestrike was fighting a RiverClan warrior and an apprentice, but he was winning. A shriek split the air. _Duskfur!_ She sprinted to his rescue, but was a heartbeat later than Ashbark, who pulled the RiverClan cat off her friend.

She ducked as a heavy paw whistled through the air above her, and turned to nip her attacker. An older RiverClan apprentice swiped at her. Echopaw recognised her scent as Splashpaw's. She wrapped her paws around Splashpaw's neck, dragging her down before twisting away and jumping onto her back. She over-timed the jump and landed by Splashpaw's flanks, she started slipping so she bit down on Splashpaw's tail and jumped off. She darted underneath Splashpaw, startled by how much the apprentice had grown since they'd last fought. Splashpaw sat down on Echopaw and began clawing her belly. Echopaw writhed and twisted free, sprinting for the cover of the trees. The noises threatened to overwhelm her, but she tried desperately to push it away.

"Help!" called a pitiful voice. It came from somewhere underwater, and she assumed it was a RiverClan cat. She continued running.

"Reedfall, I'm coming!" shrieked Feathercloud, and Echopaw skidded to a halt, her heart thumping.

 _Reedfall?_ She sprinted to the location of the wailing and felt Feathercloud's fur brush hers. Feathercloud wasn't doing anything, just staring in shock at her drowning brother.

"Where is he?" she snapped. Feathercloud nudged Echopaw, coming out of her daze. Suddenly, the young she-cat was more like herself.

"Grab onto my tail and hold it, hard." Feathercloud mewed. "I'll try to grab him."

"No," objected Echopaw, "you don't know how to swim."

"Neither do you!" challenged Feathercloud.

"But I'm lighter and more likely to stay afloat." argued Echopaw.

"Okay, fine!" Feathercloud snapped, grabbing Echopaw's tail unnecessarily hard.

Echopaw pushed off and gasped as the cold air hit her. She struggled to keep afloat, and reached out a paw to find Reedfall. Her paw hit a sodden mass of fur, and she unsheathed her claws to dig into it. A yelp told her that Reedfall was still alive.

"Pull me in!" she demanded.

"I'm trying-" Feathercloud began, but was cut off by a snarling voice. _Muddypelt!_ The vicious RiverClan warrior was renowned for his brutalness.

"Fight him off!" snarled Echopaw.

"But what about you?" Feathercloud mewed.

"We'll be fine, _if_ you fight him now so that he can't attack us!"

Echopaw heard Feathercloud gulp, and then she heard the sound of fur brushing against stone. _Good luck, Feathercloud_! Reedfall gasped as she pushed him to the surface. The water pulled her fur down, but she managed to keep afloat. Reedfall spluttered and went under the water. "No!" she gasped.

"I've got him! Get to the shore!" gasped a RiverClan cat who Echopaw recognised as Minnowstream. She felt Reedfall carried out of her grip.

"Don't..." she murmured.

"I won't kill your Clanmate, mouse-brain! Just get to shore!" Minnowstream snapped.

"Can't...too strong..."

"You're an apprentice, right?" Minnowstream asked, paddling closer.

Echopaw could only nod.

"It's tiring, I know," Minnowstream said kindly. "Just imagine that you're walking. It helps, I promise."

Echopaw tried, and found, to her astonishment, that it was a lot easier. It was like floating. She sniffed out the shore and headed there, gasping with relief as she reached it. "Is he your mentor?" Minnowstream asked gently. Echopaw nodded.

"Well, he'll be fine. Now get back to your Clan...Sunningrocks belong to RiverClan." Minnowstream snapped.

Tiredly, Echopaw trudged to camp, Reedfall struggling to walk and leaning against her.

They got to camp and were met by a stunned silence.

"You're alive!" mewed Runningstream joyfully.

"I thought you drowned." admitted Feathercloud.

"Come here." Thistlelight ordered. "Rosepaw, Finchpaw, fetch some clean moss for them and bring it to the medicine cat's den."

Echopaw heard her littermates run past, brushing against her comfortingly. She heard footsteps approaching, but they veered away towards the warriors den. _Birdclaw_.

Reedfall gasped, and Runningstream ran over, comforting the young warrior.

"It's okay, you're at camp," he soothed, "Thistlelight will fix you."

To Echopaw, he added, "Well done for saving him. I didn't know you could swim."

She shook her head. It was important her Clanmates understood this.

"I didn't save him. Minnowstream saved us _both_." she mewed loudly.

"What?!" yowled Snakestrike.

"She's from RiverClan!" Squirreltail sounded more surprised than hostile. "Why would she help us?"

"I've known Minnowstream since she was an apprentice...she couldn't bear seeing any cat die while she could help." Sweetbriar murmured in respect. "I must thank her." Then her gaze sharpened. "We lost Sunningrocks, didn't we?"

Disappointed muttering followed her words, and she seemed to assume the worst.

"Where's Patchstar?" Echopaw asked.

No cat replied.

"Where's Patchstar?" She asked again, more loudly.

"She lost a life." murmured Darkfoot, sounding unusually gentle.

 **Later that moon...**

Echopaw jumped over the stream, barely a trickle was left. Leaf-bare had come, and most of the water was ice. Frost glistened everywhere she looked, and the whole forest sounded muted. Rosepaw, Finchpaw, Pineleaf and Brindletail padded beside her. Patchstar was with them, but at the moment she was questioning a RiverClan patrol.

"How's Minnowstream?" Patchstar asked.

"Why do you care?" Muddypelt snarled. "Take another step and we'll rip your fur off!"

"Easy, Muddypelt." The voice was new, and Echopaw didn't recognise it, however the scent seemed familiar.

"Greetings, Pebblefoot," Patchstar asked.

Pebblefoot's reply was guarded. "Patchstar."

"Could we please speak to Minnowstream?"

"Why?" asked Splashpaw. "Are you mad at her, because she attacked you? 'Cause we're real warriors, that's what we're meant to do!" Pebblefoot cuffed Splashpaw, who was presumeably her apprentice.

"Why do you need to see her? Can we pass a message on?" Pebblefoot asked.

"We'd like to say what we have to say to her face."

"What is it?" snarled Muddypelt.

"Quiet!" ordered Pebblefoot. "But he has a point. What do you want to say?"

"That is for Minnowstream's ears."

"For StarClan's sake, you sound like a pair of kits!" interrupted Echopaw. She felt her pelt burn as both cats stared at her in astonishment. "She saved my life, and Reedfall's." she said, indicating to Reedfall with her tail.

"That's right." Patchstar mewed, sounding resigned.

"You should've said so!" Splashpaw said in excitement.

"And you want to thank her?" Pebblefoot asked, tipping her head to one side.

"Yes."

"Surely you could ask us to pass on the message," Pebblefoot said, curiously.

"Please do." Patchstar turned and walked away, her tail tip flicking irritably and hitting Echopaw in the face.

They had only just padded onto WindClan territory when a patrol bounded up, pelts fluffed up in hostility.

"What do _you_ want?" spat a young, pale grey apprentice.

"Ashpaw, quiet." snapped Nightwhisper, her dark green eyes were narrowed in anger. "What do you want?" she added grudgingly. Ashpaw flicked Rosepaw a mocking yet triumphant look.

"I am taking some apprentices to the Moonstone." Patchstar mewed, before adding, "StarClan wished for me to do this."

Finchpaw and Rosepaw exchanged glances, and Reedfall watched Patchstar in confusion.

"Well, make sure you don't steal any prey," Nighwhisper said.

"May StarClan guide your path." mewed the third member of the patrol.

"Rabbitfur. The same to you." Pineleaf mewed formally, dipping his head. Echopaw guessed that he was the deputy.

"Well, we'll be going." Patchstar mewed. Ashpaw shot Finchpaw a glare and reached out to claw him.

"Ashpaw!" spat Nighwhisper, cuffing her apprentice so hard that she fell down. "Don't start a fight!"

Finchpaw looked awkwardly at Patchstar, who flicked her tail as a sign to continue.

They reached a Two-leg barn on their way to the Moonstone. There was evidence of many mice, even though it was leaf-bare, and Echoaw heard Finchpaw's belly rumble.

"Can we hunt?" Rosepaw asked, sparing Finchpaw.

"Sure." Patchstar replied. "But be quick."

They padded into the barn, Echopaw walking as warily as though she were stalking a badger. She heard a squeal as Rosepaw pounced on a mouse.

"Good catch!" she called softly.

"Not bad." called a new voice.

"Almond!" Patchstar called out in a friendly voice. "How are you? And Minty?"

"Minty's fine." he purred.

"This is Almond." Patchstar mewed, adding in an undertone to Echopaw, "he's a pale brown tabby tom."

"And I'm Minty." purred another voice.

"She's pale grey with green eyes." Patchstar told Echopaw softly, saying more loudly, "Almond and his sister Minty live in this den. It used to belong to Two-legs, but they never come anymore. We often stop here."

"Why are you describing us to her?" Minty asked curiously.

"Because I can't see!" Echopaw snapped crossly, instantly regretting it. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Oh, that must be so hard!" Minty mewed sympathetically, while Reedfall, Pineleaf and Brindletail gasped. They hadn't known.

"Were you always blind?" Almond mewed, padding closer.

"No," Echopaw replied, feeling overwhelmed.

"That's even worse, isn't it?" Almond went on. "I had a friend, Listen, odd name her Two-legs gave her, huh? She was a kitty-pet, and when she got older she went blind...but you're still young, a 'paw?"

Echopaw nodded.

"Well, feel free to hunt." Minty mewed, turning and padding off.

"She's going to check on her kits," Almond told them.

"She has kits?" Patchstar mewed. "Would I be allowed to meet them?"

"Probably, hang on, I'll ask her," he replied.

Patchstar's POV:

"They're beautiful!" Patchstar mewed.

"We aren't _that_ young!" yowled one of the kits, launching itself at her. Thorn-sharp claws dug into her flank, and she hissed in pain.

"Sorry! Acorn, what have I told you about your claws?"

"Keep them unsheathed," Acorn said grumpily.

"Exactly. Sorry about that, Patchstar."

"No problem." Patchstar mewed, wincing. "What are their names?"

"The annoying tabby furball who just attacked you is Acorn, the small black tom is Bat, the golden brown tom is Flax, the long-legged grey tabby tom is Goose, the small white she-cat is Cloud and the fluffy lavender-brown she-cat is Heather."

"Beautiful names for beautiful kits." Patchstar breathed.

"I'm not beautiful!" Flax mewed indignantly.

"No, you are your brothers are handsome."

Flax seemed satisfied.

"And Acorn, Cloud and Heather?" objected Bat.

"They're beautiful, just like their mother."

"I don't care! I'm going to be the best mouser in the whole forest!" yowled Acorn, while Heather blinked her thanks.

"How old are they?" Rosepaw asked, coming up. "Sorry, I just wanted to see..." she mewed to Minty, who waved her tail in greeting.

"They're five moons old," Almond told them. Minty hissed.

"I wanted to say that! And they're six moons, not five!" Minty snapped, flicking her brother's shoulder gently to take the sting out of her words.

"They could be apprentices." Patchstar murmured. "StarClan knows we need more cats."

"Can we join your Clan?" Acorn begged. "Please, please!"

"I don't know..." Minty murmured, exchanging glances with Almond.

"I think if they want to go, they should. Clan life isn't for the faint-hearted, but it is rewarding. It is your choice, but ThunderClan would welcome them." Patchstar said softly.

Minty sighed. "I suppose...if they promise to visit."

Five of the kits mewed, "We will!" and scampered around in excitement.

Bat and Acorn broke out into a mock-fight, and Patchstar was pleasantly surprised at their skill.

"You can take them down now, or we can on our way back, or you can come at the half-moon after you've said your goodbyes."

"Can we go on your way back?" Acorn asked in excitement.

Minty sighed. "I suppose so."

"Can I stay?" Cloud asked softly, the first time she'd spoken.

"If you wish." Minty mewed, but Patchstar could tell she was relieved.

They padded on towards the Moonstone, while Patchstar tried to think of mentors for the five young cats.

 _Acornpaw needs someone capable but gentle...perhaps Runningstream? Another apprentice would be good for him...Batpaw looks like he could be as good a fighter as Snakestrike, I'll have a word with him..._

"Patchstar! Look out!"

She looked up in time to crash into a tree. She was walking, so the impact wasn't hard, but it ruffled her fur and she felt embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" Rosepaw asked, bounding up to her.

"Yes, fine," Patchstar mewed softly.

"Maybe we should stop..." Brindletail mewed in sympathy.

"No, let's keep going." Echopaw objected. "Look, the sun's setting already. We need to hurry!"

Patchstar glanced up and saw that she was right.

"How did you know?" Reedfall stared at her in astonishment.

"It's getting colder, the grass has some dew on it and the owls have started hooting." Echopaw replied simply. Patchstar realised that she was right.

Echopaw's POV:

They reached Highstones without any further difficulties, apart from crossing the Thunderpath. Echopaw tripped on a piece of Two-leg rubbish, but Reedfall dragged her to safety.

"Echopaw, you and...Reedfall, come with me. Finchpaw, Rosepaw, you can hunt with your mentors. We won't be long."

"Okay." Finchpaw mewed, though he sounded disappointed. Rosepaw just nodded, flicking her tail on the grass. Echopaw brushed past them.

"I'll tell you all about it." she mewed softly in their eyes. Finchpaw cheered up and Rosepaw flicked Echopaw's shoulder.

"Mouse-brain." she said affectionately.

Patchstar and Reedfall slowed down as they neared the entrance, so Echopaw pushed past them. Light or dark, it made no difference. She padded in confidently, her nose wrinkling at the odd smell. Patchstar was just behind her, and Reedfall was further back.

They got to the Moonstone just in time.

"You aren't blind yet, are you?" Patchstar mewed nervously.

"Everything's just blurry." Echopaw replied.

"Good. I want you to see this."

In annoyance, Echopaw opened her eyes. She preferred being blind. In front of her was a large rock, and behind her there was a dark tunnel. Her fur brushed the stone when she crouched, trying to see the gap in the roof. _There_! Suddenly, a bright, blinding light lit up the cavern. Echopaw flinched, she was sure that even if her eyes were closed that would have hurt her eyes. The Moonstone shone, white light pouring out of it and illuminating the tunnels. Echopaw saw that even Reedfall's ginger fur seemed tinted silver.

"Wow..." Reedfall mewed.

"Can I close my eyes again?" Echopaw asked, aware that she sounded like a whining kit.

"Yes."

She closed her eyes, reveling in the blackness it brought. Her senses sharpened.

"I will meet with StarClan now. You two can lie here and wait; I won't be long."

Reedfall whisked his tail over the stones and dipped his head. Echopaw mewed softly in reply.

Patchstar's POV:

She was in a sunny, well-lit clearing. Fresh smells of prey and plants filled her mouth as she tasted the air. There was a pool of water below her, and she walked closer to the edge, relaxing in the sun. She peered in and saw her Clan. They all seemed to be grieving. To her shock, she saw her own body, lying in the centre of the clearing. Runningstream sat beside it, head bowed.

Thistlelight walked past, giving Runningstream a sympathetic look. He had catmint in his jaws, and he padded into his den. He came out soon afterward, and dropped some herbs at Runningstream's paws. _He's the leader now_! Patchstar realised.

Runningstream was sitting on the Highrock, and talking to Reedfall. Reedfall seemed to be nodding, and then he turned and called some cats together.

She saw Acorn, Flax, Bat and Heather playing beside the fresh-kill pile. Goose sat watching them, sorting something with his paws.

She saw Echopaw, Finchpaw and Rosepaw receiving their warrior names, but from Runningstream. _I die soon_! She realised in shock. _Oh, StarClan, why did you tell me_?

Echopaw's POV:

She could hear Reedfall snoring quietly, and Patchstar's relaxed breathing, though every few seconds Patchstar twitched as though she was having a bad dream. Cautiously, Echopaw padded over to the Moonstone. Sneakily, she lay beside it, nose touching, but lying so that it looked like she was just sprawled out, and not dreaming of StarClan.

It was cold, bitterly, icy cold. Snow fell, and she struggled to carry the scrawny rabbit she held in her jaws. She was taller, but her eyesight was back. _Do I get better_? She didn't think so.

Suddenly she stood on the moor, and she could see so far that she could see the forest. _Is that what normal cats see_? Land as far as any cat has travelled, beautiful colours, birds flying high above, in among white, fluffy clouds? Tall, dark mountain peaks, a glimmering blue river? Leafy green trees, and tough, springy grass on the moors? Squirrels, scampering from branch to branch?, fish swimming in the river, frogs hopping through the swamp and rabbits darting through the heather? Echopaw suddenly felt a pang for everything that she would never see, never experience. _Maybe in StarClan_. She reassured herself. After all, weren't you restored to when you were happiest? _But then I'd be a kit, with faulty eyesight_... _Maybe they just cure you..._

They padded back into camp, the five kits tumbling at their paws. They were being very loud, and a bird let out a harsh alarm call and flew out of the bush. Echopaw's mouth watered and Finchpaw exclaimed, "That was big!"

"You must be quiet!" Patchstar scolded them, and Heatherpaw dipped her head.

"Sorry." she murmured.

Mews of surprise welcomed them into camp.

Patchstar leaped onto the Highrock.

"These are Minty's kits. They wanted to join the Clan, and I knew we needed more young cats."

"Cloud didn't come." Acorn objected.

"And we aren't kits!" Flax said grumpily.

"Minty? The cat in the barn?"

"Congratulations!" some cat purred.

"But they aren't Clanborn!"

Patchstar raised her tail for silence. "I had a dream from StarClan at the Moonstone. The five kits were playing by the fresh-kill pile."

"Welcome to the Clan!" mewed Runningstream.

"We _aren't_ kits!" Flax hissed softly.

"What about Briarflower's kits?" Some cat asked.

"She had her kits?" Patchstar asked in surprise.

"Yes!" mewed Thistlelight.

"I will apprentice these kits and then I'll go meet them." Patchstar decided.

"We aren't kits!" Flax mewed in exasperation.

"Briarflower is sleeping." objected Thistlelight. Sighing, Patchstar nodded.

"I'll apprentice the kits once I know their personalities more." Patchstar mewed.

"For the last time! We aren't kits!" Flax yowled.

Silence met his words, and then the Clan began mrrowing in amusement.

"Sorry, Flax." Patchstar mewed, beckoning for silence.

"Flax, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Flaxpaw. Your mentor will be Foxwhisker. I hope Foxwhisker will pass down all he knows on to you."

Foxwhisker looked very pleased, and Flaxpaw opened and closed his mouth in surprise. Echopaw remembered how happy she was when she became an apprentice, and she knew that Flaxpaw was probably feeling the same way, even though he wasn't Clanborn.

"Foxwhisker, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Darkfoot, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and strong. You will be the mentor of Flaxpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Flaxpaw."

Flaxpaw looked delighted, and bounded up to touch noses with Foxwhisker. Echopaw heard a loud bump and a low yelp and guessed that they had bumped into each other. He then ran off to sit beside the fresh-kill pile, eyeing a thrush in anticipation.

"Yes, take it." mewed Foxwhisker in amusement. "But share with your littermates."

Nodding, Flaxpaw picked it up. It was almost as big as him, and he coughed as he swallowed a feather. Proudly, he padded back to Foxwhisker and began eating, leaving a lot of the bird for the others.

Acornpaw was apprenticed to Runningstream, Batpaw to Snakestrike and Heatherpaw to Duskfur. Thistlelight stepped forwards.

"I had a dream where I was teaching a long-legged gray tom how to make a poultice of dock and horsetail to stop infections, and he did it almost perfectly. I think it was Goose."

Surprised, Patchstar apprenticed Goosepaw to Thistlelight. Goosepaw looked equally surprised but also very pleased. Echopaw heard him whisper to Thistlelight, "Minty taught me what poppy seeds are used for already. I've always liked herbs."

Thistlelight's POV:

Goosepaw crawled up behind him. They went into the nursery with some borage.

"Briarflower?" Thistlelight mewed as his eyes adjusted to the gloom.

"Yes?" came a tired voice.

"I brought you some herbs," he said, motioning to Goosepaw.

"It's...borage," the apprentice mewed, glancing at Thistleligt to see if he was right. Thistlelight nodded. "It'll help you feed your kits."

"Well done, Goosepaw. You learn fast." Thistlelight praised. His apprentice ducked his head proudly.

"Goosepaw? Minty's kit?" Briarflower asked.

"Yes. He's training to be a medicine cat." Thistlelight told her.

Goosepaw padded up to her kits. "Do you have names for them?" he asked.

"Not yet." she admitted. "Can you call Squirreltail? I want to name them."

"Sure." mewed Goosepaw. "He's the fluffy ginger tom, right?"

"That's right." Briarflower mewed.

Goosepaw disappeared and came back soon with Squirreltail. Briarflower looked up from the leaves that she was licking up.

"They're beautiful!" Squirreltail's eyes shone.

"What do you want to name them?" Briarflower asked weakly.

There was a ginger tom, a tortoiseshell she-cat, a small black she-cat with some ginger and a calico she-cat.

"The small black she-cat should be Twigpaw. She looks just like you, apart from the ginger patch on her back." Squirreltail mewed.

"The ginger tom looks like his father, maybe he should be Redkit." Briarflower murmured happily.

"The tortoiseshell she-cat looks like a Shadekit." commented Briarflower. Foxwhisker purred.

"Thistlelight, you name the last one." Squirreltail murmured. "Without you, they wouldn't be alive."

Thistlelight touched Squirreltail's shoulder. "I think she should be Amberkit."

"Beautiful names." Thistlelight mewed quietly, while Goosepaw just purred. They let themselves out, listening to the quiet squeaks of the kits.

 **Well, hope that was better.**

 **I used two of my favorite scenes in the books...**

 **Mothflight's vision:**

 **Calling White Tail and Black Ear handsome, and saying that Silver Stripe is beautiful, and Silver Stripe says that she doesn't care and she just wants to be the best hunter ever.**

 **One of the Power of Three books (I think Eclipse):**

 **Firestar keeps calling Flamepaw, Dawnpaw and Tigerpaw kits even though they are just apprentices and they complain.**

 **Quick question: If you are restored to when you were happiest in StarClan, would Jayfeather be a kit? And why is Yellowfang covered in ticks and fleas, with matted fur?!**

 **Also, it's really hard to write without saying "she saw" and stuff like that, so if use colours and things for _describing_ it's not what Echopaw sees, it's just what there is...like it's a narrator's POV in those moments, if you wish to put it like that...**

 **I hope Minty's litter wasn't too big, if it is then just say that Batpaw and Goosepaw were orphaned kits that they rescued, if not then leave it.**

 **Also, a mini allegiance update...**

 **ThunderClan:**

Deputy: Runningstream (pale ginger tom, green eyes) gentle, smart _(Acornpaw)_

Medicine cat: Thistlelight (pale grey tom, blue eyes) excitable and eager _(Goosepaw)_

Warriors:

Reedfall (ginger tom, amber eyes) quick and strong _(Echopaw)_

Birdclaw (small white tom, blue eyes) strong and vicious

Duskfur (scrawny pale brown tom, green eyes) shy and wary _(Heatherpaw)_

Snakestrike (small, black tom with acid-green eyes) vicious and speedy _(Batpaw)_

Foxwhisker (dark ginger tom with leaf-green eyes) speedy, good hunter, fun _(Flaxpaw)_

Apprentices:

Acornpaw (brown tabby she-cat with dark brown stripes and dark blue eyes) outgoing and playful, loud but knows when to be quiet

Batpaw (small black tom with amber eyes) respectful and playful, very careful with younger cats but very rough with older ones

Flaxpaw (golden brown tom with green eyes) can be seen as rude but just curious and a bit of a perfectionist, very defensive of background

Goosepaw (long-legged grey tabby, yellow eyes) quiet and thirsty for knowledge, welcoming and does what he thinks is right

Heatherpaw (fluffy lavender-brown she-cat with purple-blue eyes) quiet and respectful, good with younger cats or sad ones

Kits:

Twigkit (small black she-cat with a ginger patch on her back, green eyes) bouncy and loud

Redkit (fluffy ginger tom with green eyes) bossy and strong

Shadekit (tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes) quiet and obedient

Amberkit (calico she-cat with pale green eyes) shy and nervous, dislikes noise

 **Cats outside Clans:**

Minty (pale grey she-cat with green eyes) calm and gentle but a good hunter

Almond (pale brown tabby tom, dark brown stripes and blue eyes) forgetful, welcoming

Cloud (small white she-cat, blue eyes) nervous but kind

Aspen (pale grey tom with startling bright green eyes) keeps to himself unless it's urgent

 **QOTW:**

 **If you were to create a backstory for THIS cat, what would it be?**

 **Slightfoot: (Sleek, black she-cat, green eyes. One paw is badly damaged(from a wound or burn or whatever, your choice)) ShadowClan. Hostile, angry, cold, hot-headed and doesn't forgive easily...if at all.**


	25. Chapter 22

**Hope the last chapter was good, hope this one is.**

 **Also, for those who've read Crookedstar's promise...**

 **So Crookedstar's father is Shellheart. His brother is Oakheart and his mother is Fox-heart.**

 **Not my joke...but it's epic. I think it was created by my brother...**

 **Also, who do you think should be in the Power of Three? Lionblaze, Jayfeather and ?. (? is the cat you think). I'd say Ivypool or Hollyleaf.**

 **Thanks to a guest (Moonstorm) for Aspenstorm, it's an amazing name and I'll keep him in mind. Sorry if I'm making up his story and looks, I didn't know what you wanted. If you dislike the story and looks, let me know and I'll give him a different name. Echopaw will calm down, FYI.**

 **Thank you to SilentShiver for the amazing backstory for Slightfoot, I'll be using that in the future!**

 **Also, sorry if this is short...it's my exam week and I have a lot of studying to do. In fact, expect a delay in next weeks chapter too, but then afterwards it'll go back to a quicker, better schedule. Sorry!**

 **Major SpOiLeRs for Mapleshade's vengeance, just warning you. And also a few other things. DO NOT READ PATCHSTAR'S POV IF YOU HAVE NOT READ:**

 **Mapleshade's Vengeance**

 **Dawn**

 **Twilight**

 **Lastly, (man this is long) I wanted to write Echopaw like this for a long time. She's like the Thornclaw, the Spiderleg, the untrusting cat. Too few main characters have been like that...off the top of my head, I can only think of one. Hollypaw. (Hollyleaf was more trusting).**

Birdclaw's POV:

He shook out his fur. It was matted and ungroomed, and twigs were stuck in it. He could feel a hard tick behind his ear and he scratched at it. His nest in the warriors den was old and he hadn't cleaned it in ages. He spent half his time sleeping and the rest hunting or avoiding his Clanmates.

"Birdclaw?" called a nervous voice.

He pushed himself to his paws, not trusting himself to speak.

"Runningstream wants you to patrol the ShadowClan border with Cedarflame, Reedfall and Echopaw," whispered Duskfur, his eyes wide with fear.

 _Duskfur_. They'd grown up together, been best friends...what had happened? Why was Duskfur scared of him? Birdclaw nodded and brushed past Duskfur, noticing how Duskfur winced as their fur touched. _He doesn't want fleas or ticks_.

He stretched in the weak leaf-bare sunlight. His belly growled but he ignored it. He saw his patrol waiting for him by the barrier, and he walked over, ignoring their mews of greeting. The forest felt cool and fresh, and when Echopaw bounded past, he could almost imagine he was on his first patrol with her, feeling a burst of pride as she caught her first prey, watching her excitement when she saw the forest. He was going to make her the best warrior in all of ThunderClan. But then Patchstar had to come and ruin everything. How could she be the best, if she wasn't mentored by the best? All he'd wanted to do was make her a good, strong, brave and loyal warrior. He'd been strict so that she didn't betray her Clan.

But now, when she turned back, her head tilted as though she was asking for permission to hunt. Still in his memories, he opened his mouth to reply.

"Sure, but be quick." Reedfall mewed.

Birdclaw closed his mouth in disappointment. Echopaw flashed him a regretful look before bounding into the undergrowth. He glared at Reedfall. The young warrior looked nervous, he quickened his pace to catch up with Cedarflame, who was walking in silence.

Hissing under his breath, he tasted the air. Echopaw was returning, a vole in her mouth.

"Well-" he began, before finishing under his breath, "done." Echopaw flicked her ears gratefully, he knew she'd heard.

"Great catch!" Reedfall mewed, touching her shoulder with his tail gently. She nodded, her eyes fixed on the undergrowth. A swallow was dipping in and out among the trees, but it was too high to catch.

Birdclaw tasted the air again, a strong scent of squirrel flooding him. He angled his ears towards the squirrel. "Echopaw, try get it." His voice sounded croaky from lack of use and he wished he hadn't spoken.

Reedfall stared at him in confusion.

"Sorry..." Birdclaw murmured, as Reedfall shook his head and told Echopaw to bury the vole. Birdclaw clawed at the earth angrily and decided to catch the rabbit. He turned and disappeared into the undergrowth in the direction of the smell.

A fat, white rabbit lolloped slowly along the path, stopping briefly to chew at grass. It was fat and slow, and would make an easy catch. He stalked it slowly, making sure he kept downwind. It's mouth-watering scent distracted him, and he didn't see the tree root until he crashed into it. His paw stung as though he'd just wrenched it and the rabbit stiffened as he muttered under his breath. He took another step and winced, his paw giving way underneath him. He fell down, and he dimly heard the rabbit run away as his paw burned.

"Wrap his paw in comfrey." mewed a voice.

His eyes flickered open. Thistlelight was talking to Goosepaw. His paw ached and he felt sick and tired.

"Eat these." Goosepaw mewed, thrusting some small black seeds under his nose. He lapped them up, feeling sleep wash over him.

 **The next day...**

"I brought you something to eat," Echopaw said quietly. "I'm sorry you fell."

He jumped up, collapsing as he put weight on his paw. She flinched back as though she expected to be attacked before relaxing. In her jaw she held a piece of rabbit. _My rabbit_.

"What happened after I fell?" he said, wincing as he lay down again.

"I ran to camp to fetch help and Reedfall caught the rabbit. Cedarflame stayed with you in case the fox came."

"Fox?" he asked, feeling a twinge of jealousy that Reedfall had caught the rabbit.

"Didn't you smell it?" she asked.

He didn't answer. He pushed the rabbit away and buried his nose under his paw.

Echopaw's POV:

She felt bad for Birdclaw, stuck in camp. She also felt bad for herself. There were seven apprentices sleeping in the apprentice's den and six of them were extremely annoying. It was past moon-high, and they were still chattering like blackbirds.

"Runningstream said that ShadowClan used to own the piece of land on the other side of the Thunderpath." breathed Finchpaw.

"I caught a _huge_ squirrel today!" Acornpaw mewed. Echopaw knew that it was actually very small, but she kept quiet.

"While we checked the elders for ticks, they told us amazing stories about LionClan!" Flaxpaw mewed.

"They were bigger than _dogs_ ," said Heatherpaw, and Echopaw could tell she didn't believe it.

"I saw a fish!" Batpaw mewed, as though he were the first cat to ever see a fish.

Rosepaw was asking Heatherpaw a question. "Goosepaw said that you had a sister, called Cloud."

"Yeah, she didn't want to come."

"What do you think she would've wanted to be? Any position?" Finchpaw butted in.

"Either a queen or an elder." Acornpaw mewed thoughtfully.

"Who'd _want_ to be an elder?" asked Flaxpaw scornfully.

"Well, they get their ticks taken care of, bedding changed and food brought to them, and all they do is lie around all day complaining!" Batpaw reasoned. Flaxpaw let out a snort.

"Why a queen?" Rosepaw pressed.

"She always said that if she had kits of her own she'd name them Forest and Mouse..." Heatherpaw mewed wistfully, and Echopaw could tell she missed her sister.

"Forestkit and Mousekit!" Acornpaw mewed. "Hey, they could be Forestface and Mouseheart!"

"Don't be mean!" gasped Heatherpaw, jumping on Acornpaw. Echopaw jumped to one side as they rolled past her. She couldn't wait till she became a warrior, and could finally sleep.

"Forestpelt and Mousefoot are nice names, though." Flaxpaw mewed thoughtfully.

"Forestpelt could be a cat who blends in the forest really well, and Mousefoot could be a really good stalker," Batpaw said. "Hey, should I be Batflight? Because I'm as silent as a bat flying?"

"No way!" scoffed Acornpaw. "You're clumsier than a fox in a fit!"

"If you had kits, what would you name them?" Rosepaw asked curiously.

"Dogkit, Foxkit and Badgerkit." Flaxpaw mewed. "They'd be huge and good fighters."

"I like Leafkit and Streamkit..." Heatherpaw said.

"Thornkit, Sandkit and Gorsekit all sound really nice," Rosepaw said. "But they suit WindClan cats more."

"Hollowkit and Ravinekit!" Finchpaw mewed, before licking his chest fur self-consciously. "No, I'm joking. Maybe Thrushkit and Birdkit, because I'm a finch..."

Batpaw thought for a while. "I don't know."

Acornpaw shook out her fur. "I don't want kits. They'd get in the way of being leader! Acornstar, doesn't it sound amazing?"

"No. Go to bed," Echopaw said.

Acornpaw looked at her, hurt flashing in her eyes. "Fine."

Echopaw sighed as the cats began to fall asleep. Flaxpaw was snoring loudly and Heatherpaw seemed to be having a bad dream, but otherwise, it was silent.

"No...don't let the mouse eat me..." muttered Heatherpaw.

Acornpaw kicked out a leg and hit Heatherpaw hard in the ribs. Heatherpaw went silent.

"I'll teach you a way to win _any_ battle," Mapleshade mewed.

"Any battle?"

"Apart from a fight against me, yes." Mapleshade mewed scornfully.

"How?"

"You'll see."

Mapleshade pushed Echopaw, making her jump vertically as high as she could and sprint non-stop through thickets and bushes. Eventually, she stopped.

"You're ready."

"Ready?"

"Pretend that tree is a cat. Go for it's eyes."

Echopaw stared at Mapleshade in shock. "But that'll blind it!"

"So?" Mapleshade snorted.

"I know what it's like to be blind, and it isn't nice." Echopaw mewed, half-truthfully.

"Weakling. Just like a typical ThunderClan cat."

"So you _do_ have something against ThunderClan." Echopaw accused.

"Of course not!" snorted Mapleshade. "I have something against all Clan cats. They're weak."

"Am I weak?" Echopaw asked.

"Yes, but if you train hard you won't be. Now wake up, something's happening."

Aspen's POV:

He padded calmly through Twolegplace. It was dark, and there was barely a sound. His tail whisked slowly on the ground as he paused and scented the air warily. A gang of rogues owned this part of Twolegplace and he didn't want to get caught.

His heart ached as he thought of what he was leaving behind, but he knew that he was making the right choice. _I must join a Clan_. He would be safe, safe from the rogues, safe from hunger, safe from sickness.

He knew the risks, but he was ready to become a warrior, to defend his Clan with his life, to let another cat make all the decisions for once.

He bunched his muscles and leaped over the spindly wooden fence, loving the fresh, forest scents. He could smell cat, and he guessed that these were the scent markers. Silently, he thanked Almond for teaching him about the Clans.

"What are you doing here?" growled a voice. "This is ThunderClan territory!"

He sighed in relief. He didn't need to ask which Clan it was.

"I know. I'm Aspen, and I want to join your Clan." he mewed.

Echopaw's POV:

She sat and watched Acornpaw demonstrate a move. The younger she-cat seemed determined to be Echopaw's friend, and who was Echopaw to say no?

"You do _this_ and then _this_ and then you're supposed to roll, but I haven't learned that yet," Acornpaw said, sitting back on her haunches. "Hey, did you-"

"Shush!" spat Echopaw.

Acornpaw looked hurt. "But-"

"Shush! I think there's an intruder!" Echopaw hissed, creeping forward.

"Is this your camp?" asked a strange voice.

"Yes," grunted Cedarflame.

" _Intruder_!" she spat, leaping at the strange cat. It was a tom, and he stunk of crow-food.

"Echopaw! Echopaw, hold on!" mewed Bloomleaf, grabbing her scruff and pulling her back. "He's friendly!"

"Friendly?" she screeched, clawing Bloomleaf. "He stinks of crow-food!"

"Because he's a rogue. He wants to join the Clan!" Bloomleaf explained.

Echopaw growled.

"Who is this?" asked Patchstar, padding up. Echopaw guessed that Acornpaw had notified her.

"I'm Aspen. Are you the leader?" the strange cat asked.

"Yes, I'm Patchstar." Echopaw couldn't believe it. She sounded friendly and curious.

"He's a rogue!" she spat.

" _Ex_ -rogue." he replied calmly. "I'd like to join ThunderClan."

"We've been inviting in too many cats..." said Patchstar thoughtfully. "But we are a small Clan...very well."

"No! He's a rogue! He came from the Twolegplace!" Echopaw screeched. She had no idea why she was so desperate, but she did not want him to join.

Echopaw could feel an amused gaze on her pelt, and she guessed it was Aspen.

"Echopaw, that's enough!" spat Patchstar. "Now go look after the elders. Sorry about that, Aspen. She's just an apprentice."

Echopaw's ears burned. _Just an apprentice? I'm the most skilled cat in the Clan_! She heard Patchstar mew.

"Would you be alright with becoming an apprentice?" Patchstar asked.

"Sure." Aspen replied in a friendly voice.

"I suppose I'd better mentor you..."

A _rogue_ , being mentored by the _Clan leader_?! Echopaw couldn't believe it. She stormed off to complain to Rosepaw and Finchpaw.

Aspenpaw's POV:

He was an apprentice! Now he could join a Clan and be protected. The other apprentices were a lot younger than him, and more experienced in Clan ways, but he learned quickly. He could already recite half of the Warrior Code and his hunter's crouch was perfect.

Echopaw's POV:

She watched Aspenpaw eating by the fresh-kill pile. A group of cats clustered around him, asking him questions. Echopaw was the only apprentice not there, Rosepaw and Finchpaw having disagreed with her.

"Aspenpaw's _amazing_." Rosepaw had mewed.

"He's so cool! He used to be a _rogue_! And a Two-leg _touched_ him!" Finchpaw had said as proudly as though he were Aspenpaw.

Eventually, Patchstar had sent the apprentices to their den.

"I can't believe Aspenpaw attacked a dog by himself!" Rosepaw exclaimed.

"And it was a wild dog!" Acornpaw mewed loudly.

"He said it was bigger than a badger!" butted in Batpaw.

Echopaw glanced at Aspenpaw. He was still sitting beside the fresh-kill pile. She noticed with a twinge of anger that he was on his third piece of prey, the scents of the first two still fresh on her tongue. _Two mice and a water-vole! Is it leaf-bare or what?!_

She realised that maybe he hadn't eaten in a long time, but she was still mad. _That could've fed a queen and the elders_! She shook out her pelt.

"What do you think your warrior name will be?" Finchpaw asked. _Finally not Aspenpaw!_

"Heatherpelt sounds nice..." she murmured.

"Aspenclaw or Aspenheart sound amazing!" said Flaxpaw boastfully.

Echopaw covered her ears with her paws. _Stop it_!

Reedfall's POV:

"Echopaw!" he called, padding into the apprentice's den. She twisted around from her grooming.

"Yes?"

"Dawn patrol," he began, adding with a purr, "you're up early!"

"Couldn't sleep." she mumbled, but he thought her fur looked rumpled, as though she had been washing dried blood from it. He decided not to ask her about it, not when she was in a good mood.

"Who else is coming?" she asked blearily, she looked like she hadn't slept properly.

"Foxwhisker and Robinflight."

"Okay." she mewed, before twisting around to lick a clump of fur into place on her back.

"Hurry!" he said sternly, trying not to sound amused.

She got to her paws grumpily and pushed past him. _Great, she's already mad at me_...

"Nice morning for a dawn patrol." Foxwhisker mewed in greeting. Reedfall guessed that he was joking, there was a chilly edge to the air and it was still dark.

"You took your time." Robinflight mewed stiffly, heaving herself to her paws and turning to lead the patrol out of camp.

"Hey! Can I join the patrol?" mewed a voice. Reedfall turned to see Aspenpaw padding sleepily from his den.

Echopaw bristled. "No! Go away!"

"Echopaw!" Reedfall snarled in embarrassment. Lowering his voice, he added, "chat later, okay?"

"Sure, why not." Foxwhisker mewed. "Let's just get going before my paws freeze."

"Check with Patchstar," Robinflight growled.

"She's asleep, and I don't want to wake her." Aspenpaw mewed innocently.

"Look, I'll take the blame if she wanted to do training," Reedfall said, striding forwards. "I don't know about you, but I have plans for this afternoon. I wanted to teach Echopaw a useful battle move so I want to do this patrol quickly so she can take a break."

Echopaw bristled. "I don't need a break! And he can't come!"

"We'll leave you behind if we must," Reedfall growled, feeling bad but knowing that he had to be strict.

She gaped at him. "What?!"

"Let's get _on_!" Robinflight growled, shoving Echopaw forward.

"Fine!" Echopaw spat, eyes blazing. She ran forward and pushed through the barrier, flicking Aspenpaw in the face with her tail as she ran by.

"Ow," Aspenpaw mewed casually.

"Sorry about that." Reedfall told the young tom.

"No problem." Aspenpaw replied.

Curiously, Reedfall padded beside Aspenpaw. "Why did you join?"

"Because you Clan cats care for each other. I respect that kind of loyalty." Aspenpaw replied smoothly.

Reedfall thought in silence for a bit. "I suppose."

"Mouse-dung!" spat a voice from further up the path. Reedfall put on a burst of speed and saw Echopaw licking her paw.

"I stood on a thorn!" she complained.

"You'll survive." Reedfall said, stroking her shoulder with his tail-tip.

"Come dip it in water!" invited Aspenpaw, blinking sympathetically.

To his surprise, Echopaw nodded. "Okay."

She dipped it in the water, wincing at the icy cold.

"Can we get on?" mewed Robinflight.

"Let's go on without them." Foxwhisker mewed. "Echopaw can learn how to swim, Aspenpaw can climb a tree and Reedfall can fall in some reeds."

Reedfall shoved Foxwhisker. "And you can get eaten by a fox...with long whiskers."

"Well Robinflight will be stolen by a robin."

"Hurry up!" Robinflight snapped.

Echopaw got to her paws and Reedfall put up his tail, barring the way.

"Say thank you to Aspenpaw." he mewed, feeling slightly guilty.

"Thanks." Echopaw mewed, grudgingly. As she turned away, Reedfall saw her roll her eyes.

Echopaw's POV:

 _Why was_ Aspenpaw _on the patrol? He should've waited to get permission from his amazing mentor. And I was going to dip my paw in the stream anyway! I didn't need his help!_

Immersed in her thoughts, she didn't sense the path turning and she swerved too late, straight into a tree. Foxwhisker let out a mrrow of laughter.

She whisked her tail and stormed off ahead. She had been excited to go on patrol with Reedfall and Reedfall's previous mentor, but now she couldn't enjoy it. _I just want to go back to my nest_. She thought miserably.

Rosepaw's POV:

She twitched her tail in excitement. The dawn patrol was back!

"Hey!" she called, running up to them.

Echopaw lifted her tail in greeting.

"Aspenpaw! I meant to ask, have you ever eaten kitty-pet food?" she mewed. She saw Echopaw's ears droop and Echopaw turned and padded to the apprentice's den. Feeling slightly bad, Rosepaw turned to go after her.

"Yes, I have. It was disgusting." shuddered Aspenpaw. She turned back.

"What did it taste like?" Rosepaw asked curiously.

"Nothing. It was dry, scratchy and tasteless." Aspenpaw told her.

"Bleeugh." Acornpaw muttered. "I bet he liked it though. He was basically a kitty-pet." Acornpaw muttered to Goosepaw, who murmured back.

 _Another cat who doesn't like Aspenpaw_...

Echopaw's POV:

"Echopaw?" called a soft voice.

"What?" she growled.

"Is Aspenpaw annoying you too?" asked Acornpaw.

"Yeah. He's just a cat!"

"I know." Acornpaw mewed sympathetically. "Still, it's better than when the Clan was fussing over me and my littermates. We were asked questions all the time. He seems to enjoy answering them."

"He enjoys it too much." Echopaw snarled. The tom seemed too friendly...

"Hey, did you see the squirrel I caught?" Acornpaw mewed, changing the subject.

"It was big..." Echopaw murmured absently.

Finchpaw's POV:

He stiffened. _There_! A mouse was snuffling along the path ahead of him. He took a step...

"Mouse-dung!" he cried as he stood on a leaf, which crackled. The mouse darted towards its burrow but Flaxpaw got there first. The golden tom leaped onto the mouse and almost squished it.

"The elders won't want a flat mouse." Finchpaw pointed out, sniffing the mouse suspiciously.

"Sweetbriar doesn't care," Flaxpaw pointed out.

"I guess..." Finchpaw wasn't convinced, but he knew they needed to hurry.

"Pineleaf wanted me to meet him at the training hollow at sun-high." he told Flaxpaw.

"Foxwhisker gave me the day off, can I come?" Flaxpaw asked.

"I suppose."

Thistlelight's POV:

"This mouse is _flat_!" screeched Darkfoot. Thistlelight winced. He pitied the apprentice who'd brought the mouse.

He padded past the fresh-kill pile, on his way to Patchstar's den.

"Patchstar?" he mewed, just outside the entrance.

"Come in." called a weak voice.

He padded in. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright. It's just a cough."

"It's whitecough." he told her.

"I have...plenty...of lives yet," she said softly.

"Don't lie! I know that you already lied to the Clan when you said that you lost a life in the battle over Sunningrocks. I don't know why you lied, but I know you did. I also know that you are on your last life."

"How?" she asked weakly.

"Medicine cats know these things," he said simply.

"Well, then you'd know that I don't intend to die of whitecough."

"Nobody does."

She purred. "I remember when you were a tiny kit. Now, look at you. You've grown."

"I'm still a tiny kit compared to you," he said.

"That's right, you are...and that tiny kit is about to grow up."

"Why are we even talking like this?" he asked in confusion.

When she spoke, her voice was rasping. "A tiny kit-no, no, that doesn't work. A small, weak ki...no...never mind."

"I think you're delirious. I'll bring you some water." he told her sternly. He didn't think she heard him. He decided to go fetch some catmint, just in case.

Patchstar's POV:

"Patchstar?" called a voice.

"Again?" she asked.

"I brought you some catmint, some prey and some poppy seeds. Have you finished the water?" Thistlelight asked, coming in.

"Yes."

"I'll ask Flowerpetal to get you some more. Eat three poppy seeds after you've had the catmint and the prey," he said, padding out. A few heartbeats later, Flowerpetal came in, a wad of soaked moss in her jaws. She backed out quickly.

Patchstar lapped up some water, feeling it soothe her dry throat. She chewed on a piece of prey, but it was tasteless. She licked the catmint and decided that it tasted nice and fresh, so she munched it all up as well. Finally, she licked up three poppy seeds and fell asleep.

 _She was on a cold, windy mountain. Eagles cried above her. A small, smoky black apprentice was running ahead of her, towards a gap in the rocks. In front of him, a lean blue-black tom stood, helping cats across. It looked like all the Clans were there. The smoky gray apprentice leaped, but fell short. He slipped off the cliff and into darkness._

 _She heard him screech in shock, and she heard a powerful white tom with one black paw mew loudly, "There's nothing we can do, we have to keep going."_

 _A black she-cat, probably the apprentice's mother, pushed forwards. "You're going to leave him?!"_

 _"He couldn't have survived that fall, and we can't reach his body." the white tom mewed._

 _Now, she was beside a lake. There were cats all around her, stars glittering in their fur. They watched in horror as a horde of badgers burst into a Clan camp, but unlike one she'd seen before. She gasped and ran to help, but a star-cat blocked her way. She heard screeches of pain and she forced her mind to drag away from the dream..._

 _She saw a cat...a cat she recognized...Mapleshade! She hissed, only to gasp as she saw Mapleshade's kits. They bobbed through the river, shivering on a stepping stone. A wall of water crashes down on them, and when it is gone so are the kits. Patchstar leaps into the water. She has to help! She lets the water drag her to one kit, but it is dead. She pushes all three kits onto the riverbank. The least they deserve is a proper funeral. She waited in the bushes as a RiverClan patrol comes. They find the kits and bring Mapleshade to them. Mapleshade began to yowl, and Patchstar fades away._

She is no longer dreaming, but why are there starry cats in her den? Countless stars twinkled in the pelts of these cats. She recognized few of them.

"Ravenwing! Frecklewish!" she calls out in shock. "Are those...Mapleshade's kits?" she asks, pointing to three tiny shapes.

"We are." says a ginger-and-white one solemnly.

"Just because we are kit-sized doesn't mean we aren't wise!" piped up another, a brown one.

"I'm Patchkit. That's Larchkit, and that's Petalkit." the ginger-and-white one told her.

"But...why are you here? Why are all the cats here related to Mapleshade in some way?" Patchstar asked, confused.

"She poses a great threat to your Clan," Petalkit said sadly. "She was a great mother, but when we died...I just wish that she'd been happy without us. She could have been a loner, or a kittypet, or a rogue. She didn't need to kill all these cats."

"But...where is Appledusk?" Patchstar asked.

"He's coming."

"Did he look after you in StarClan?"

"Yes. I think he regrets...what he did." Patchkit told her.

Larchkit spoke up. "Thank you for bringing our bodies to shore."

"How did you find out?" Patchstar asked curiously.

"Flowerpaw told me. She was watching it all."

"Poor Mapleshade..." Patchstar murmured. Ravenwing looked sharply at her.

"She killed her own Clanmates!" he hissed.

"Because they exiled her for no good reason, and watched her kits die!" Patchstar shot back. Ravenwing sighed.

"I regret it," he said quietly.

"I really didn't know that her kits would die..." Frecklewish said sadly. "She was a good friend...I wish the truth had never come out."

"Frecklewish has been helping Appledusk look after us. I think she blames herself." Patchkit said wisely.

"But why are you here?" Patchstar asked.

"To guide you to StarClan." said a soft voice.

"Leopardfur!" gasped Patchstar. "But...am I dead?"

"Yes," Leopardfur told her softly. "I am sorry, my kit, but your time has come."

Patchstar closed her eyes. "I am ready."

Thistlelight's POV:

Runningstar paced the clearing.

"Who do I choose as a deputy?" he hissed.

"Who do you want to choose?" Thistlelight asked.

"I don't know!" Runningstar snapped. His tone softened. "Sorry, Thistlelight. It's just..."

"I know," Thistlelight said heavily. "Look, it's sun-high and you have until moon-high. Do you want to come and meet Flowerpetal's kits?"

"Sure," Runningstar said.

The kits were mewling softly as they walked in.

"They're beautiful!" breathed Runningstar. "What did you name them?"

"I called this one Shallowkit," Flowerpetal said, pointing with her tail to a speckled gray-and-white she-kit.

"Snakestrike called this one Darkkit," she added, nudging a black kit forward.

"Sounds like something Snakestrike would do," Thistlelight murmured softly.

"Runningstar?" asked an anxious voice. "There you are! Runningstar, Echopaw's gone missing!"

"What?! What did you do?" Runningstar asked.

"I...I sent the rest of the patrol to look for her, I came back to camp and I asked if anyone had seen her. Then I asked Finchpaw and Rosepaw if she'd been planning to go anywhere, and then I asked all the hunting cats to keep an eye out for her."

"Exclellent..." murmured Runningstar. "have you found her?"

"No!" Reedfall mewed, sounding desperate.

"Did you check the training hollow?" Thistlelight put in.

Reedfall nodded.

Runningstar's POV:

"Then let's go-" he began.

"Found her!" gasped Duskfur, running into camp.

"She was hunting, and she got trapped in a bramble. She's fine now," added Heatherpaw, as Echopaw staggered into camp.

"Are you okay?" Runningstar gasped, racing up to her. She nodded dizzily.

"You're hurt!" he drew back to see the cuts on her.

"She'll live," Thistlelight said briskly. "Goosepaw, put some of the poultices I taught you yesterday on her worst wounds, and wash the others."

"Won't you come?" Goosepaw asked.

"You're more than capable of that," Thistlelight said warmly.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Runningstar gasped. "That's it! Reedfall is the new deputy!"

Echopaw's POV:

"Reedfall! Reedfall!" she chanted as her mentor was named the Clan deputy. Her wounds were stinging, but it was nothing she couldn't survive. _Thanks to Mapleshade_. She was transported back to that afternoon.

 _She had been padding through the trees, jaws open as she tasted the air for scents of prey. Instead, a familiar scent wafted through her nostrils. Mapleshade._

 _"It's time for your_ final _assessment," hissed Mapleshade._

 _"But I already had it! When I killed Yewleaf!" Echopaw mewed in confusion._

 _"No. This is your final assessment. Once you've done this, I'll leave you alone."_

 _"What is it?"_

 _"Kill Runningstar, kill Reedfall, kill all the kits, apprentices and queens. Make ThunderClan weak, but don't let them know that you are the killer. When everything seems bad, step up and become leader. Be a good leader, and rule ThunderClan. They will worship you, you will make all the other Clans look weak. Then do one last thing for me. Tell the Clan that_ I _was not the evil one. Tell them that it was Ravenwing, Frecklewish and Appledusk. Say that StarClan told you this. Make ThunderClan worship me and my kits."_

 _"I couldn't kill them!" Echopaw hissed._

 _"Do it."_

 _"But I-"_

 _"I'll give you one moon."_

 _"You can't make me."_

 _"I can."_

 _Mapleshade pushed Echopaw into the brambles. "You'll feel trapped, as you watch your Clan die in front of you. The cats that are left will hate you. You will be exiled. Even Finchpaw and Rosepaw will wish you didn't exist."_

 _"No! You can't-"_

 _"Echopaw!" called Heatherpaw. "Are you alright?"_

 _Paws steps thudded closer and Echopaw felt Heatherpaw and Duskfur start tearing brambles off of her._

 _"I'm...okay..." she murmured dizzily._

 _"Let's get you back to camp," mewed Heatherpaw softly, pressing against Echopaw._

 _"I can walk."_

 _"Of course," Heatherpaw said._

"Echopaw, wake up."

She scrabbled in the mossy nest. "Wha-?"

"How are you feeling?"

It was Thistlelight. He padded closer to the nest, leaning over her and feeling her for fever.

"Fine."

"You can go, but no duties today!" he called as she jumped to her feet and ran outside.

"Rosepaw! Finchpaw!" she called.

"Echopaw!" Rosepaw mewed, looking up from the fresh-kill pile.

"Wanna go hunting?"

"Ok! I'm already going on patrol."

"With who?"

"Finchpaw, Flaxpaw, Acornpaw, Heatherpaw...Foxwhisker's taking us."

"He's brave," purred Echopaw in amusement.

"Oh, and Aspenpaw."

"Forget it. I'm actually feeling tired." Echopaw hissed, turning and going back to her den.

It wasn't that she didn't like Aspenpaw, he was, in all, a kind, caring and apparently loyal cat. It was just...he was a former rogue, and rogues were bad news. He acted...too kind.

"What's ruffled your fur?" Reedfall asked.

She spilled out her thoughts on Aspenpaw. He listened patiently until she was done.

"Acornpaw, Heatherpaw, Batpaw, Goosepaw and Flaxpaw were former loners," he reminded her.

"But that's different!"

"Is it? And anyway, of course he's being kind. We did welcome him, and he wants to prove that he's loyal."

"I know, but..." Echopaw trailed off. She couldn't justify herself, but she knew...she had that gut instinct. Don't ever trust rogues.

"Well, I'm going hunting. Want to come?"

"Okay."

Bloomleaf's POV:

She scented the air. No prey. She was wary, hunting so close to Sunningrocks was a bad idea, but she had to see Sandybank.

Giving up hope, she turned to head back to camp. A familiar mew stopped her in her tracks.

"Bloomleaf!"

"Sandybank!"

She ran over to him. "Where've you been?" she asked breathlessly.

"We had a sick kit...and I was caring for our father."

"Poor thi- _What?!_ "

"Yeah...so this rogue came right to our camp and asked us if we were ThunderClan and where Redfur was. Of course, the Clan was confused, but they gave him directions to ThunderClan. He wanted to go, even though we said that she was dead. He was...he fell off the stepping stones and Minnowstream saved him. While I was caring for him, I found out that he was our father."

"What does he look like? What is his _name_?" Bloomleaf gasped, her initial anger giving way to excitement.

"He was...he looked like me. His name was Jester."

"Jester." she purred. Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Was?"

He looked uncomfortable. "He died from greencough."

"Greencough?" she gasped. "But I never even met him!"

"I know, I'm sorry. He wasn't the only cat. Hollykit and Hollowfoot also died. And Ripplestar lost a life."

"I'm so sorry." she murmured. "Do you have enough catmint? Thistlelight has tons, I'm sure he'd give you some."

"No, we're fine now. I'd better get going. Bye, Bloomleaf."

He flicked his tail and turned, slipping into the water and swimming strongly towards the bank. He climbed out, shook out his fur and disappeared into the bushes.

"Bye!" she called.

 **Well, how was it? Please review!**

 **QOTW:**

 **Who is your favourite cat in Unseeing?**

 **Also, I'm going to do a backstory thing every week now.**

 **Create a backstory for this cat:**

 **Whiteface (RiverClan)**

 **(The rest is up to you!)**


	26. Chapter 23

**Sorry, this was very short. Luckily, I don't have exams anymore and this sort of thing shouldn't happen anymore!**

 **I chose her warrior name! Based on the poll it was between this name and one other name, but I have a plan for the future for the other name!**

Echopaw's POV:

She was going to become a warrior!

Ever since she'd been a kit, this had been her dream, and now it was actually happening!

"I'm going to be a warrior!" she yowled.

"Easy, Echopaw. You might not pass, you know," cautioned Reedfall. "Of course you will!" he added hastily as she glared at him.

Rosepaw bounded up to them. "D'ya know that Aspenpaw is getting a new mentor today?"

"Yes," Echopaw mewed grumpily.

"I know who it is!"

"Who?!" asked Reedfall, oblivious to the fact that as a mentor he should be telling them off for gossiping.

"Bloomleaf!"

"What? Really?" Finchpaw mewed, coming up beside them.

"I know!"

"Stop standing around gossiping!" Pineleaf called, motioning for the apprentices to join him and Brindletail. Reedfall stood at his shoulder.

"You are to catch as much prey as you can. We'll be watching, out of sight." Pineleaf exchanged a glance with Reedfall. "If all goes well, you'll be warriors tonight."

"Yes!" Echopaw mewed in delight.

"Just in time for the Gathering!" Rosepaw mewed in excitement, while Finchpaw just kneaded the ground with his forepaws, ready to hunt.

"Will you test our fighting?" Echopaw murmured, feeling tense for a second as she imagined fainting in her assessment and failing, watching Rosepaw and Finchpaw become warriors without her..."

"No, we already know your skills," Brindletail told her gently, clearly understanding Echopaw's worry.

"If you're all ready...go!" Pineleaf mewed. Reedfall flicked Echopaw with his tail encouragingly.

"You'll be great."

"Thanks," she mewed, running off towards Snakerocks. If she was lucky, she'd find a vole or two there.

She arrived at Snakerocks and straight away saw a fat vole sunning itself in the weak leaf-bare sunshine. It was unusually plump for leaf-bare, she guessed that it had found a squirrel's supply of nuts. She pounced and caught it.

"Thank you StarClan for this prey." she murmured softly, turning to see a flash of ginger fur in the bushes. _Reedfall_!

She goes on to catch a scrawny rabbit, a mouse and a finch.

"Well done!" Finchpaw mewed as they meet up at the training hollow. He had a squirrel and two voles.

"I caught you!" joked Echopaw, nudging the finch.

"Do you think I caught enough?" fussed Rosepaw, looking at her pile of prey. It consisted of a mouse, a water vole, a shrew, a thrush and a small squirrel.

"Of course!" purred Finchpaw, while Echopaw nodded.

"Well done, all three of you." Reedfall mewed, padding up to them. "We'll hold the ceremony at dusk."

Echopaw bounced up and down. "I'm gonna be a warrior!"

Ever since she'd been a tiny kit, she'd wanted to be a warrior. When she found out about her blindness, it just made her more determined.

Thistelight's POV:

"Open your eyes...what do you see?"

Echopaw grimaced. "Nothing? Well, I can tell if it's light or dark but I can't really see anything..."

"Well," purred Thistlelight, "you're about to become the first blind warrior!"

"I guess." she replied, unenthusiastically.

"What's wrong?" he asked in concern.

"Just...I can't fight. How can I be a warrior who can't fight?"

"Oh, come on!" he mewed. "you'll be fine. Just avoid the battles if you can, and if you ever get into a situation that you know is too overwhelming then retreat. There's no shame in that."

She shook her head. "You don't get it, it-"

She was interrupted by a loud mew from outside. "Can all cats old enough to catch their own prey..."

'Quick! You'll miss the ceremony!" Thistlelight mewed, shoving her out.

He listened in approval as Rosepaw was named Rosethorn and Finchpaw became Finchfeather. Now it was time for Echopaw. His breathing quickened as he waited to see if Runningstar would honour his wishes.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your new warrior name. Echopaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Echowhisper. StarClan honours your determination and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Runningstar did! Thistlelight had suggested the name Echowhisper, because she relied on the echoes and whispers of noise that reached her keen ears to understand what was going on.

Echowhisper's POV:

She felt as though she would die of happiness. It was as though StarClan themselves had chosen her name. _Echowhisper_. It was perfect. Rosethorn ran up to her and licked her ear, and Finchfeather bounded into them both. They tussled playfully, stopping only when Runningstar came up to them.

"You're warriors now, you shouldn't be acting like kits." He mewed sternly, but Echowhisper could tell that he was proud of them.

"You can come to the Gathering tonight, but for the rest of the night, you will sit vigil. We'll leave soon, so there's no time to rest. I advise you to eat something and relax until then. And for StarClan's sake, groom yourself! You look like walking burrs! I just wish Dappleheart was here..." Runningstar's voice trailed off, and Rosethorn pressed herself comfortingly against him.

She raced alongside the patrol, weaving through the trees as though she were sighted. They reached the slope above Fourtrees, and she heard Runningstar take a deep breath. She heard his tail flick through the frosty air as the patrol raced down the slope.

ThunderClan was the last Clan to arrive, and when they were all in the clearing, Runningstar jumped onto the Great Rock.

"You aren't Patchstar," pointed out Scorchstar shrewdly.

"What happened to Patchstar? Is she alright?" asked Stormstar.

"She died," Runningstar dipped his head sadly. "of greencough."

"I'm so sorry," Ripplestar mewed sympathetically.

"Can we get on?" grumbled Scorchstar. When nobody replied, he began speaking. "ShadowClan has-"

"Runningstar should speak," Stormstar said firmly. "As the newest leader."

"Agreed." Ripplestar mewed.

"Well, as you know Patchstar is dead. We have a new litter of kits, Flowerpetal's kits Shallowkit and Darkkit. We also have three new warriors, Rosethorn, Finchfeather and Echowhisper." Runningstar mewed. The other Clans began chanting their names.

"Rosethorn! Finchfeather! Echowhisper!"

The other cats cheered loudest for Finchfeather and Rosethorn, they were popular at Gatherings because of their friendliness, but Echowhisper didn't care. The other Clans were chanting her name! She fluffed out her chest fur in excitement; besides her, Finchfeather did the same. Rosethorn licked her paw and flicked it over her ear as if she couldn't wait for them to stop.

"WindClan has four new kits," Stormstar began, breaking in. "Dawnmist is not here because she is looking after Featherkit, Swiftkit, Woolkit and Stonekit."

Stormstar's eyes flashed as she announced her news, she clearly thought that WindClan was stronger because they had more kits. _More kits mean more warriors_.

"ShadowClan has three new apprentices and three kits. Vinepaw, Adderpaw and Fernpaw are here tonight." Scorchstar began, pausing to let the Clans cheer for the apprentices.

Finchfeather described them to her. "I think Fernpaw is the pale grey she-cat sitting next to Yellowfern; she's probably her mentor. Vinepaw is, I think, the black tom sitting next to his mentor, Silvershadow. I know Adderpaw, sort of, I met his friend Frogpaw who described him to me last Gathering. He's grey and he's sitting next to Foxfur."

Echowhisper didn't bother telling him that she didn't know any of the mentors.

"Sparrowshine has three kits, Spiderkit, Palekit and Tallkit," finished Scorchstar.

"RiverClan has one new warrior, Splashcreek. We also have a new litter of kits, Mistkit, Breezekit, Rustkit and Sunkit. Their mother, Rainpool, is ill at the moment but she will hopefully get better soon. They are being looked after." Ripplestar said, finishing formally, "The Gathering is over. May StarClan light your path."

Rosethorn mewed thoughtfully, "Carpjaw looks proud, maybe he's their father."

"Carpjaw?" scoffed Finchfeather.

"He has a marking on his jaw, sort of like a fish. It's just fur though." Rosethorn mewed.

"Oh, okay."

"ThunderClan, let's go!" called Runningstar, and the ThunderClan cats got ready to leave.

" _Psst_ ," whispered a voice.

"What?" Echowhisper whispered, spinning around.

"Are you Echowhisper?"

"Yes."

"I'm Adderpaw. Mapleshade told me to ask you to meet at Fourtrees tomorrow night. Just be there."

" _What?!_ Mapleshade?"

"Go!" he hissed, and she turned and ran to catch up with the patrol.

Her mind whirled as she raced back to camp. _Mapleshade_. What did the treacherous cat want now?

She barely listened as she heard Robinflight tell the Clan that she was moving to the nursery, and she paid no attention when she heard Runningstar call her. _Mapleshade_.

 **How was it? Sorry about the length, it'll be much better next time. EXAMS ARE OVER WHOOOOOOOOOO!**

 **QOTW:**

 **Which warrior cat do you wish _had_ died instead of another, and what do you think would have happened to the story?**


	27. Allegiance Update

**I'm just adding in the new cats...**

 **ThunderClan:**

 **Leader:**

Runningstar (pale ginger tom, green eyes) gentle and smart

 **Warriors:**

Echowhisper (pale grey she-cat, aqua eyes) determined and shy

Rosethorn (dark ginger, almost red she-cat, dark blue eyes) sweet but nervous

Finchfeather (golden tom, green eyes) eager and strong

 **Queens:**

Robinflight (dark brown she-cat, blue eyes) stern, loyal and committed

 **Kits:**

Shallowkit (speckled grey-and-white she-kit) bouncy, energetic and brave

Darkkit (black tom, burning amber eyes) sneaky, vicious

 **WindClan:**

 **Warriors:**

Sootflash (grey tom with amber eyes and a grey flash on his back) playful, eager and very responsible

 **Queens:**

Dawnmist (unusual (for WindClan) grey tabby she-cat, blue eyes) soothing but strict

 **Kits:**

Featherkit (dappled pale grey she-kit, blue eyes) gentle and soothing

Swiftkit (pale grey she-cat with darker patches, amber eyes) playful and eager

Woolkit (curly-furred pale grey tom with amber eyes) gentle and caring

Stonekit (dark grey tom with amber eyes) bossy and strong

 **ShadowClan:**

 **Warriors:**

Yellowfern (pale ginger she-cat, yellow eyes) sly and rude

Foxfur (dark russet tom, green eyes) friendly but secretive

Silvershadow (silver and black tabby, green eyes) gentle mentor but cruel in battle

Sparrowshine (unusually creamy she-cat, dark blue eyes) grumpy and ambitious

 **Apprentices:**

Fernpaw (pale grey spotted she-cat, dark blue eyes) sweet and sly

Vinepaw (long-legged black tom, burnt amber eyes) kind, thoughtful, clumsy

Adderpaw (grey tom, ice-blue eyes) vicious and untrusting

 **Kits:**

Tallkit (long-legged fawn tom, blue eyes) playful but sulky

Spiderkit (dark brown and fawn tom, blue eyes) ambitious, very agile, boastful

Palekit (pale golden she-cat with blue eyes) soft and sweet

 **RiverClan:**

 **Warriors:**

Carpjaw (pale ginger splotched tom, blue eyes) friendly but defensive of patch on chin

Splashcreek (beautiful pale grey she-cat with amber eyes) playful, energetic

 **Queens:**

Rainpool (grey tabby, blue eyes) friendly and open, dislikes water

 **Kits:**

Sunkit (pale golden she-cat, amber eyes) gentle, good with younger cats

Mistkit (pale grey she-cat, blue eyes) bouncy and loud

Rustkit (ginger tom, green eyes) wise and calm

Breezekit (dark grey tom, light blue eyes) loud, good with words

 **Yay!**


	28. Chapter 24

**I have writer's block right now...sorry for the short chapter, but I'll make it up, I promise! Please check out Yewleaf's Gift while you wait. We are nearing the end sadly, but...nah, I won't say!**

Echowhisper's POV:

She cast a quick look behind her. Reedfall sat alone outside the camp, his pricked shape outlined in the moonlight. She felt a pang of pity-it was very cold at the moment-as she had suffered the same thing during her vigil.

Luckily, Reedfall didn't hear her and she made her way to Fourtrees. As she arrived, she heard voices.

"When will Echowhisper get here?" hissed Adderpaw. Echowhisper could make out Mapleshade's voice.

"She's coming," soothed Mapleshade, flashing Echowhisper a sharp look. "She's very good at sneaking up, you know. I wish you'd let me show you."

"I want to learn to fight, not stalk!" hissed Adderpaw, scoring a claw through the dirt.

Slowly and carefully, Echowhisper snuck up on them, and at the last possible moment she leaped at Adderpaw. He ducked and twisted, and for a moment they grappled.

"Careful, now. We wouldn't want you to become enemies," snarled Mapleshade, though her voice suggested otherwise.

Echowhisper scrambled away and stood panting, gasping for breath. Adderpaw glared at her.

"Who else is coming?" she asked, trying to break the ice.

"Muddypelt from RiverClan." Adderpaw replied stiffly.

"And WindClan?"

"They're puny," scoffed Adderpaw.

"Swiftkit." mewed Mapleshade harshly. "But she isn't coming tonight."

"Why not?" Adderpaw mewed. Echowhisper wanted to cuff him for his dumbness.

"She's a kit, mouse-brain!" Echowhisper hissed, and he dipped his head.

"So-orry," he said, drawing the word out insolently. She growled.

"Now, now. Let's all play nicely." Mapleshade murmured. "I have tasked Adderpaw with something already, Echowhisper, come here a second."

Mapleshade led her away and sat down, beckoning for Echowhisper to do the same.

"This leaf-bare will be harsh. You _must_ hunt in ShadowClan's territory. Adderpaw told me that they have plenty of prey, and that the carrionplace is overflowing with rats. He said that they have enough spare prey to feed a whole Clan."

Now that Echowhisper thought of it, Adderpaw did seem sleek and well-fed. She fluffed out her pelt, hoping Adderpaw didn't take her scrawniness for weakness.

"I'm here. Now what?" growled a low voice. Echowhisper realised that it was Muddypelt.

"You were too late. Come again...in a moon. Unless I call you earlier." Mapleshade snarled, her claws glinting in the moonlight. "As for you two, meet again here tomorrow night and then only once a moon afterwards, unless, of course, I notify you. And Echowhisper? These meetings...stay... _secret_."

 **A few moons later...**

"Hey! I'm Swiftpaw!" mewed an excited voice. Echowhisper growled inwardly. It was common knowledge that the litter of WindClan kits' mother had died in a fox attack, and that the kits had been apprenticed a moon early. Although Echowhisper hadn't been at that Gathering, she knew that Ashpaw had become Ashstorm and that the kits had been apprenticed, Featherpaw to Berryhazel, Swiftpaw to Rabbitfur, Woolpaw to his father, Sootflash, and Stonepaw to Stormstar.

"Hi." Adderpaw mewed, in the most friendly tone the ShadowClan apprentice ever used.

"You're a bit small." mewed Muddypelt, prodding her.

"Ignore Muddypelt." Echowhisper told her.

"Who are you?" Swiftpaw asked.

"I'm Adderpaw, that's Muddypelt and this is Echowhisper." Adderpaw mewed stiffly. "I assume Mapleshade sent you?"

"Oh, yeah." Swiftpaw mewed, gazing around with wide eyes. "Hey, are you blind?"

Echowhisper assumed that she was asking her. "Yes."

"Cooooool!"

"Can we get started?" mewed Muddypelt tersely.

Echowhisper nodded, scraping her claws through the grass. Their training sessions were going well.

"I'll fight Muddypelt tonight."

"Do I have to just _watch_?" mewed Adderpaw grumpily.

"Fight me!" Swiftpaw mewed in excitement. Adderpaw looked at her uncertainly. "Please?!"

"Alright, then."

Before Muddypelt and Echowhisper began sparring, they sat and watched (listened to) the fight.

"She's fast," mewed Muddypelt in surprise. Echowhisper already knew this, from the light sounds of her footfall. She heard a loud 'thump'.

"Adderpaw got her down, right?" she asked. Muddypelt nodded.

"Yeah."

After a while, they sharpened their claws and faced each other.

"You start." mewed Muddypelt.

"Coward." she retorted, though she sprang all the same.

Battered and bruised, she headed back to camp, after mewing a rushed goodbye to the others.

"Echowhisper!" Reedfall mewed in excitement.

"What?" she groaned, wanting nothing more than to be in her soft nest.

"Robinflight kitted!"

She forced her paws to lead her to the nursery. "That's great." she purred, trying to sound excited.

Reedfall fell in beside her. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked. She could feel the concern in his gaze.

"Nothing..."

He left it for now, but she could tell that he wasn't convinced.

Reedfall's POV:

As he padded into the cool nursery, he swished his tail towards Echowhisper to tell her to stop, however she already had. Two tiny kits lay on the floor in front of them.

"What did you call them?" murmured Reedfall softly.

Robinflight glanced at him wearily.

"The small ginger she-cat is Firekit, and the tom that looks exactly like Foxwhisker is Flamekit."

"Beautiful names." murmured Echowhisper tiredly, before she turned and left.

Anxiously, Reedfall hurried after her.

"Goodnight!" he called over his shoulder to Robinflight.

"Echowhisper, are you alright?" he asked in concern.

"Fine..." she mumbled.

A spark of worry hit him. "Do you have greencough?"

"No! I said I'm fine!" she snapped, turning tail and going to her den. He sat and watched the den for the rest of the night.

Mapleshade's POV:

All of her plans were working. Adderpaw was a loyal cat, ready to do anything for his Clan...Echowhisper was too loyal to ThunderClan, she needed to change that...she didn't quite trust Muddypelt, but he was a valuable ally...Swiftpaw was shaping up nicely, but she was too...happy.

Echowhisper's POV:

Wearily, she stumbled into her nest and fell asleep.

"Can all cats old enough to catch their own prey-"

She woke with a start as she heard Runningstar's call. She blinked wearily to get the sleep out of her eyes and padded towards the Highrock.

"I, Runningstar, leader of this Clan-" Runningstar mewed, and Echowhisper glanced at the excited apprentices. She guessed that they were getting their warrior names.

She didn't listen to the ceremony, just watching with pride as each cat said "I do,"

She heard the Clan begin to call their names, and she joined in.

"Acornfur! Flaxwind! Heathercloud! Batwing!"

She could hear Goosepaw, calling out their names loudly. She knew that the new warriors had waited for Goosepaw before receiving their full names. That night, at the Moonstone, Goosepaw would get his full name.

 **Allegiance update:**

ThunderClan:

 **Medicine cat:**

Gooseleg (long-legged gray tabby with yellow eyes) quiet and thirsty for knowledge, welcoming and does what he thinks is right

 **Warriors:**

Acornfur (brown tabby she-cat with dark brown stripes and dark blue eyes) outgoing and playful, loud but knows when to be quiet

Flaxwind (golden-brown tom with green eyes) can be seen as rude but just curious and a bit of a perfectionist, very defensive of background

Heathercloud (fluffy lavender-brown she-cat with purple-blue eyes) quiet and respectful, good with younger cats or sad ones

Batwing (small black tom with amber eyes) respectful and playful, very careful with younger cats but rough with older ones

 **Kits:**

Firekit (small ginger she-cat, amber eyes) calm and thoughtful

Flamekit (large, dark ginger tom with leaf-green eyes) curious and easily excited

WindClan:

 **Leader:**

Stormstar (pale grey she-cat with gorse-green eyes) wise and a good leader _(Stonepaw)_

 **Deputy:**

Rabbitfur (scrawny brown tom with pale green eyes) calm but hostile when needed _(Swiftpaw)_

 **Warriors:**

Berryhazel (dusty brown she-cat with bright blue eyes) playful, smart and quick-thinking _(Featherpaw)_

Sootflash (grey tom with amber eyes and a grey flash on his back) playful, eager and very responsible _(Woolpaw)_

 **Apprentices:**

Featherpaw (dappled pale grey she-kit, blue eyes) gentle and soothing

Swiftpaw (pale grey she-cat with darker patches, amber eyes) playful and eager

Woolpaw (curly-furred pale grey tom with amber eyes) gentle and caring

Stonepaw (dark grey tom with amber eyes) bossy and strong

 **QOTW:**

 **Backstory, Clan and personality for:**

 **Silverleaf (pale silver she-cat, leaf-green eyes)**


	29. Chapter 25

**I feel sooooooooo bad!**

 **Anyway, let's start. PLEASE review and send in OCs that you don't mind me using, or even just names and appearances...I need to fill up the other Clans for some scenes I want to write.**

Echowhisper's POV:

She sat in her nest, senses alert. She heard a thundering of pawsteps and guessed that the Gathering patrol was back. Finchfeather and Rosethorn burst into the warriors den and purred when they saw her.

"Hey," she murmured. "what happened?"

"Guess what?!" Finchfeather mewed loudly, causing some of the other warriors to grumble loudly.

"What?"

"Mousefang died in a battle with rats! Stonetooth is the new ShadowClan deputy!"

"What?!" Echowhisper mewed in shock.

"I know!" whispered Rosethorn.

"What else happened?"

"Poppyfr-I mean Poppypaw got her full name, Poppyfrost. It's about time, too." Finchfeather mewed.

"Yeah...Gooseleg got his name after only six moons, but she's been a medicine cat apprentice for ages...I wonder why Gooseleg got his name so soon?" Echowhisper mused.

"Oh, and Frogpaw, Marshpaw and Hollypaw got their full names. They're Marshpelt, Hollyberry and Frogfoot." Rosethorn added.

"Did the new apprentices enjoy their first Gathering?"

"Oh, they loved it." Finchfeather mewed in awe.

"Redpaw beat a ShadowClan apprentice in a mock-fight, I think it was Vinepaw. Twigpaw was so loud that a WindClan elder cuffed her to be quiet, and Shadepaw stuck so close to me that I could barely walk." purred Rosethorn in amusement.

"Pity Amberkit couldn't be there." Finchfeather broke in.

Echowhisper felt a pang of pity for the kit. She had whitecough, and hadn't become an apprentice yet. She probably felt just like Echowhisper, left behind and apart from her littermates. Rosethorn was Shadepaw's mentor and Finchfeather was Redpaw's. Twigpaw's mentor was Ashbark.

Rosethorn seemed to sense what she was feeling. "I'm sure you'll get an apprentice soon." she mewed. Echowhisper wasn't so sure. Who wanted a blind cat as their mentor?

"Well, it's time for me to sleep." she mewed. Rosethorn settled herself down so that she was in her own nest but she could lick Echowhisper's ears comfortingly. Finchfeather grunted something about littermates and settled himself in his own nest. One by one, other warriors began to settle down.

"Echowhisper, you're on patrol with me." Reedfall mewed.

"Who else is going?" she asked sleepily.

"Bloomleaf and Aspenpaw."

She felt a surge of resentment towards Aspenpaw. He was becoming a warrior that day.

"Let's go," she murmurs softly. He nods and they pad softly to the camp entrance, where Bloomleaf and Aspenpaw are waiting. Bloomleaf quivers in anticipation, while Aspenpaw remains cool and collected. Aspenpaw nods respectfully to Reedfall and they start to patrol.

"Can all cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather around the-" mews Runningstar. Echowhisper stiffens and pads out of camp, grateful for the hunting patrol that she was assigned to. She spends the rest of the afternoon hunting, and coms back with three mice.

"Well done!" mews Rosethorn, nudging the mice appreciatively.

"Prey's starting to run," she responds.

"Aspenstorm said that he scented a vole nest on the patrol this morning." Rosethorn adds.

"It was voles, and there were actually two nests." Echowhisper corrects.

Thistlelight's POV:

He sighs in annoyance as Finchfeather trots up to him.

"I assume you want to know why Gooseleg got his name so early?" he mutters.

"O-oh, no. I was wondering if you had any herbs for Robinflight. I gave her a rabbit earlier but she said that she wasn't hungry, and she was coughing." Finchfeather said nervously.

"Okay, I'll bring something to her," Thistlelight says firmly, waving him aside.

He was thrust back in his head to the night when Gooseleg-then Goosepaw- had shaken him awake in panic.

 _"I...I saw so many kits...I watched them grow up, how they died..." Goosepaw had gulped._

 _"Any cats you knew?" Thistlelight had asked, trying to comort the frightened apprentice with his tail while pawing together a pile of thyme._

 _"Yes...and some I didn't...there was one that...a dark ginger one that was in Twolegplace...it looked terrified."_

 _"Go to sleep," Thistlelight had said firmly, giving Goosepaw the thyme._

Then, in his dreams, a StarClan cat had visited him.

 _"Larksong!" he called in joy._

 _"Thistlelight."_

 _"Goosepaw had some weird dreams...were they real?"_

 _"They weren't dreams. They were visions."_

 _"But then..."_

 _"He has a great power."_

"Thistlelight?" asked a voice, wrenching him from his thoughts.

"I-what?"

"Can I bring some tansy to Robinflight for her cough? I already gave her some juniper berries for her belly, she said it was sore so she didn't want to eat." The voice belonged to Gooseleg.

"I-yes...sure," he replied.

Adderpaw's POV:

He grabbed the rat's body in his jaws, lifting it high above the marshy ground. Behind him were the panicked yowls of his Clanmates as they were surprised by the rats that they were hunting. He carried on with his rat until he heard a harshly familiar screech. _Vinepaw_! He dropped the rat in the marsh and sprinted back towards his brother. While the surprised yowls from before were merely from shock as a rat erupted from the pile of Twoleg junk, this screech was from a cat in pain.

He raced to the mound where Vinepaw had been hunting. He saw five-no, six, rats swarming over a writhing body. Vinepaw's.

In fury, Adderpaw leapt onto his brother and tossed a rat aside. He bit into the neck of another, and threw another so hard that it stayed down, dazed. Vinepaw struggled up and began to send blows towards the largest rat, while Adderpaw dealt with the rest.

"Thanks," gasped Vinepaw, struggling for breath. Adderpaw just nodded, before fading away into the shadows to go retrieve his rat.

He hissed in annoyance as he uncovered it, covered in mud and tangled in some vines. He dropped it, leaving it to rot, and he padded back to Vinepaw. Wordlessly, he picked up the largest rats and left the rest of the bodies behind. They padded in silence until they reached the ShadowClan camp. Scarstripe, who was standing guard, looked them over in irritation. Their dishevelled appearance wouldn't go unnoticed. Sure enough, as they dropped their rats onto the fresh-kill pile, Fernpaw rushed up to them.

"Are you okay?!"

Vinepaw nodded mutely, while Adderpaw brushed past them. Without a word, he padded to his nest and slipped into his dreams, to find Mapleshade waiting for him.

Swiftpaw's POV:

She dashed up to the ridge, peering over the moor for any sight of the large, fat rabbit. The wind buffeted her fur and she almost fell off. _There_! She leaped off the ridge in a tumble of small, loose stones and ran to the sandy dip in the moor that was the home to a large number of rabbit warrens. Her fur bristled as she picked up the stale scents of Woolpaw in the entrance to one. Her father was a tunneller and he wanted his kits to follow in his pawsteps. Stonepaw loved the tunnels, his broad shoulders making it hard for him to maneuver through the prickly gorse. He faced issues underground too, but he managed. Featherpaw too, it seemed, liked to escape from the winds into the stillness of the tunnels. Woolpaw was Swiftpaw's only sensible littermate. He hated the tunnels, but Sootflash was his mentor and expected him to at least try. She bristled as she remembered that she was going in the tunnels at sunhigh the next day. She shook away these thoughts and dashed towards a recent burrow, seeing a tiny white tail bob into it as she approached. Grumbling to herself, she lowered herself in and padded stealthily along the tunnel. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and soon she could see two eyes, watching her. She took a deep breath and jumped, ready for dirt to pour down onto her. None did. She blinked, and began dragging the rabbit back up the tunnel.

"Got you!" shrieked Woolpaw in excitement as he pounced on her. She twisted and began battering his belly with her hind paws. Her brother still acted like a kit, even though they were apprentices!

"Nice catch," commented Sootflash, sniffing the rabbit. "That'll feed a few cats."

Muddypelt's POV:

He dashed a paw into the river, scooping up a long, silver fish. He tossed it onto the bank beside him and planted a paw on it while it wriggled. Satisfied that it was dead, he picked it up and trotted back to camp.

"Thanks," mewed Carpjaw, scooping it out of Muddypelt's mouth and racing to the nursery with it.

"Hey!" Muddypelt called, but Carpjaw didn't hear him. Angrily, Muddypelt turned to go back to the river.

"Help!" called a soft voice.

"Who's that?" he growled.

"My name is Cloud. I'm coming to see my littermates. Is this ThunderClan?"

"No! Go away!" he screeched, hating her for being a kittypet. He leaped at a bush and was rewarded by a squeal as he dug his claws into the soft white pelt.

"Go back to your Twolegs, and _never_ come back!" he hissed. She gave him one look from terrified blue eyes before turning and sprinting for the moor, two thin scratches visible on her fluffy pelt.

Echowhisper's POV:

"No...Mapleshade...don't..." she murmured in her sleep, before a paw prodded her awake.

"Echowhisper? Are you alright?" asked Acornfur.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Go back to sleep," mewed Acornfur gently, going back to her nest.

Echowhisper was wide awake now. Her Clan was starving, and Mapleshade told her it was okay... _I don't care what Mapleshade says_...

She stretched and snuck out of camp, heading for ShadowClan. As soon as she stepped into their territory, she smelled a big, fat rabbit. It must have strayed over the WindClan border. Her mouth watered as she leaped at it, killing it instantly. She dragged it back to her territory and rolled it in the ThunderClan scent markers so that it smelled like ThunderClan. She buried it and headed back to ShadowClan.

The faint line of dawn was getting brighter as she brought the last lot of prey back. It had taken her three journeys, and she heard the Clan's mews of delight at the fully stocked fresh-kill pile.

"Who did this?" mewed Briarflower in amazement.

"Isn't this Echowhisper's fur?" Reedfall asked in surprise.

"That's right." Echowhisper mewed. Heads jerked around to stare at her.

"Where did you find all this prey?" Runningstar mewed, bounding down from the Highrock.

"I...er, went to the Treecutplace. I remembered a strong scent of...squirrel there, so I went there first. There's no point going back, I caught everything." she mewed, hastily adding in the last bit as cats began to mew.

ThunderClan:

 **Warriors:**

Aspenstorm (pale grey tom with startling bright green eyes) keeps to himself unless it's urgent, likes talking about his life as a rogue if he has a captive audience, easy-going and modest

Finchfeather (golden tom, green eyes) eager and strong _(Redpaw)_

Rosethorn (dark ginger, almost red she-cat, dark blue eyes) sweet but nervous _(Shadepaw)_

Ashbark (dark grey she-cat, amber eyes) stealthy and sly _(Twigpaw)_

 **Apprentices:**

Twigpaw (small black she-cat with a patch of ginger, green eyes) bouncy and loud

Redpaw (fluffy ginger tom, green eyes) bossy and strong

Shadepaw (tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes) quiet and obedient

ShadowClan:

 **Deputy:**

Stonetooth (smoky gray tom, twin burn scars on back, dark blue eyes) harsh, cruel, judgemental and fiercely protective

 **Medicine cat apprentice:**

Frogfoot (small, gray tom, green eyes) bossy and eager

 **Warriors:**

Marshpelt (large, dark brown tom, striking blue eyes) aloof and silent

Hollyberry (black she-cat with bright green eyes) playful and loud

RiverClan:

 **Medicine cat apprentice:**

Poppyfrost (small calico she-cat with green eyes) wise, gentle and highly respected

 **Eeek, that was too short. I'm so, so sorry!**

 **QOTD:**

 **What is the ideal length for a chapter, in your opinion?**

 **Create a name for this cat:**

 **WindClan, thin, pale brown tom, leaf-green eyes**


	30. Allegiance update and important notice

**Ok, this is a huge update...**

 **IMPORTANT:**

 **I have a REALLY busy schedule at the moment, I'm so so so sorry. I know I seem like I'm making excuses, but I'm serious. I will write WHENEVER I can, and update whenever I can. I'm really, really sorry.**

 **ThunderClan:**

 **Queens:**

Pigeonwing (pale grey she-cat with a darker grey back, blue eyes) strict but fair

 **Kits:**

Mousekit (pale grey tom, blue eyes) excellent stalker, brave and thoughtful

Mosskit (small brown she-cat, green eyes) shy, quiet and very smart

 **WindClan:**

 **Warriors:**

Deerspring (dark grey she-cat, green eyes) friendly but untrusting of cats outside her Clan _(Grass)_

Fuzzfur (small, fluffy brown tom with green eyes) extremely eager; a ball of energy, ex-kittypet

Firespark (ginger tom, blue eyes) smart but hot-headed

Dustflash (lean, pale brown tom, sharp green eyes) hostile, untrusting and observant _(Stormpaw)_

Whitepetal (white she-cat, green eyes and a delicate pink nose) shy and reserved but very kind

Nettlesplash (brown-and-white tom, blue eyes) friendly and open to Clanmates

Hazelcloud (pale grey-and-white she-cat, blue eyes) friendly and very playful

Thrushwing (pale brown-and-white tom, blue eyes) fun to be around, light-hearted

Sandburrow (pale brown she-cat, green eyes) strict, clever and very tactical

Crowfeather (dark grey tom, blue eyes) grumpy, sulky

Ryewind (thin, pale brown tom with leaf-green eyes) friendly and teasing

Swallowtail (dark brown she-cat, green eyes) strict but a fun mentor _(Bluepaw)_

 **Apprentices:**

Stormpaw (dark grey tom, striking blue eyes) quiet and eager to please, learns quickly

Grasspaw (pale brown she-cat with green eyes) shy and respectful

Bluepaw (gray-blue she-cat, blue eyes) keeps to herself but holds grudges for a very long time

 **Elders:**

Three-leg (lost leg when fell off a cliff) (young, three-legged black tom with amber eyes) sad and unbelieving

Falconfeather (large, grey tom with piercing blue eyes) rude but tells good stories

Icestorm (small, white she-cat with very bad hearing and grey eyes) sweet and comforting

 **ShadowClan:**

 **Warriors:**

Blacktail (white tom, black tail, amber eyes) bossy but kind

Juniperleaf (pale brown she-cat, green eyes) secretive and quiet

Violetfeather (slender, pale brown she-cat with darker legs, face, back and tail, violet-blue eyes) nervous with strangers but very bossy with littermates

Firemist (white-and-ginger she-cat, one blue eye; one amber) hot-headed and impatient but very caring _(Slightpaw)_

Applepuddle (pale brown she-cat with clear green eyes) bossy but understanding

Lizardtongue (broad-shouldered black she-cat with piercing yellow eyes) abrupt, bossy and rude

Smokefeather (white tom with grey highlights that fade to black, harsh green eyes) cruel and unthinking in battle but generous and calm otherwise

Cindercreek (pale brown tom with white underbelly and sharp black stripes, pale blue eyes) vicious and mean

Badgerfang (small black-and-white tom, blue eyes) anxious all the time except in battle

Owleyes (small, grey tom with large yellow eyes) smart, observant, shy

 **Apprentices:**

Slightpaw (sleek, black she-cat, green eyes, one injured paw) hostile, angry, cold, hot-headed and doesn't forgive easily

 **Elders:**

Whitenose (small black she-cat with a white patch over her nose, blue eyes) untrusting and scared of her own Clan

One-ear (old, large brown tom with a shredded ear and green eyes) friendly but bossy and dominating

Stumpytail (pale grey tom with most of his tail missing, amber eyes) polite and kind

 **RiverClan:**

 **Warriors:**

Lightheart (pale brown she-cat with friendly yellow eyes) calm, friendly and welcoming

Fishleap (pale brown tom with curious amber eyes) curious, excitable and playful

Rockgaze (pale grey she-cat with hard grey eyes) stern but kind _(Iciclepaw)_

Deweye (pale grey tom with pale green eyes) shy and doesn't like speaking up

Oakleaf (large, red-brown tom with leaf-green eyes) brave and loyal, but can be aggressive

 **Apprentices:**

Iciclepaw (former Kittypet) (large, fluffy white tom with ice-blue eyes) bubbly, energetic and friendly

 **Elders:**

Smallfoot (dainty silver she-cat with small paws and a small head, sharp blue eyes) very strict and bossy but gentle

Reedfur (fluffy brown tom with dark green eyes) kind but very awkward with young cats

 **And that's it!**


	31. Chapter 26

**This should be interesting. I'm writing from the perspective of every cat who is trained by Mapleshade (and added some new trainees in!), as well as talking about how Echo is fitting in time for ThunderClan...around her training.**

 **I'm _very_ sorry for the lateness, but the long-ness should make up for it!**

 **Also, on the 20th of December, a puppy at a shelter that I volunteer at died from Parvovirus. R.I.P, 'Meteor'.**

 **Merry Christmas and have a happy new year! :)**

Echowhisper's POV:

She carefully crept across the Thunderpath and slunk into the bushes on ShadowClan's side of the border. She'd caught quite a bit, but the sky was lightening and she knew she had to head back to camp. She grabbed the last piece of prey, the squirrel, and sprinted across the Thunderpath just in time.

"I smell ThunderClan," hissed a ShadowClan voice.

"Don't be ridiculous, Marshpelt. Of course you do, it's the border." Adderpaw mewed, flashing Echowhisper a look. _Get out_.

She nodded and ran through the trees towards her camp. She burst in to find a group of cats eagerly awaiting her return. It had become a sort of ritual, every morning she went out to hunt and when she came back, she gave the prey to the kits, elders and queens. After that, everyone else could take whatever they wanted. Of course, she couldn't be the only one hunting, or it would give everything away. Reedfall, Rosethorn, Ashbark, Acornfur and Flaxwind all went hunting in the morning too, but none of them caught as much as her.

"How do you _always_ bring back so much prey?" asked Acornfur in admiration.

Echowhisper pretended not to hear her. Whenever she was asked, she just answered airily, "Oh, I suppose it's just luck," and changes the subject.

"The elders, kits, queens and medicine cats have been fed," reported Reedfall. The surrounding cats cheered and surged forwards for some prey. It was still leaf-bare, and while most of the Clans patrols were dedicated to hunting, they found very little prey. What with all the kits and apprentices in the Clan, it was a wonder they didn't starve.

"Okay. Any cat who hunted can take some prey and rest until sun-high," mewed Reedfall, choosing a sparrow for himself. Echowhisper picked up a small shrew and a thrush and headed out of camp.

"Where are you going?" Finchfeather asked her.

"For a walk," she mewed around a mouthful of feathers.

"With all that food?!"

"I'm going to be staying out for a long time, and I didn't eat much yesterday," she mewed, the lie slipping easily from her mouth.

"Whatever you say," he mewed **(he would be shrugging if he could)**. "I'm on a border patrol. Bye."

"Bye,"

She trotted through the woods until she reached the stream. Leaping over it easily, she set her thrush down and tore into the shrew, devouring it in small mouthfuls. She then picked up the thrush and pushed through the bushes leading to Fourtrees.

"Echowhisper!" mewed Swiftpaw. "Hi!"

Swiftpaw was an image of a starving cat. Her thin frame held nothing but bones, and her dull eyes lit up briefly when she spotted the thrush. "Is that for me?!"

Encouraged by the young she-cat's excitement, Echowhisper nudged it over.

"Yep. All yours. Just don't eat too fast, or you'll get a bellyache."

Swiftpaw gulped the thrush down, but slowed down briefly after Echowhisper's warning.

Adderpaw scuffed the ground with his front paws, a large rat at his paws. "Where're the others?"

Echowhisper shook her head. "I don't know."

"Mapleshade said that more cats are coming," piped up Swiftpaw.

"She said next time," Adderpaw cut in.

"We're to take them here," Muddypelt mewed, looming over them.

"When?" Swiftpaw asked nervously. "I...can't..."

"Of course you can," Echowhisper mewed. "Were you told who to take?"

"Not yet," Adderpaw said.

"Well, let's practice."

They trained, taking it in turns to fight each other. At the end, Adderpaw shoved the rat at Swiftpaw and ran back to the marshes. Muddypelt mewed a quick goodbye and left, and Echowhisper was left helping Swiftpaw take the rat to her Clanmates. She disappeared swiftly over the moor when she heard Swiftpaw hastily mew.

"I caught this rat, Sootflash! It was...by the ShadowClan border. Don't bother looking for the rest of my patrol...I went out...alone."

"Good catch, but next time, take a patrol. Especially if you're going to the ShadowClan border."

Swiftpaw's POV:

She avoided her father's curious gaze as she padded back to camp. He had taken the rat and was carrying it easily, despite his hunger. She flicked her tail irratibly as an icy cold wind bit into her, and she ducked her head just in time, as a large blob of snow landed on the ground, just below where her eye was. She shivered, and Sootflash laid his tail comfortingly over her shoulders.

"Almost there," he murmured.

She pushed through the last barrier of gorse and almost fell into a snowdrift.

"I hate this weather," she muttered.

"Me too," he agreed.

Mews of disagreement came from the huddled shapes of the sleeping warriors, trying desperately to shelter under scarce bushes. While the nursery, elder's den and medicine cat's den were all tucked underground in warmth, the rest of the Clan slept in the open.

Swiftpaw shivered as she crept among the sleeping warriors to where the apprentices gathered, below a small overhang of gorse. She prodded Featherpaw and sat down beside her. She licked the scents of Adderpaw, Muddypelt and Echowhisper off her fur, glad that Sootflash hadn't noticed it. She also reached below her nest and plucked a single marigold leaf, which she chewed up and spat onto her worst cut, on her flank. She was lucky that Gorsefur liked her and had shown her how to do that.

When Rabbitfur came to wake her up, the snow was falling a lot more heavily. It had fallen through a large hole in the gorse and Swiftpaw's brothers, Woolpaw and Stonepaw, were so covered in snow when they woke up that they had to move to the nursery, where they were now. Gorsefur was worried that they would catch a cold, but half the Clan would've by the end of leaf-bare.

"Some blizzard," remarked Rabbitfur, as he woke her. "You and Featherpaw are allowed to move to the nursery too, if you'd like. Nobody would hold it against you. Grasspaw, Bluepaw and Stormpaw are also there."

"Yes please!" Featherpaw mewed, shaking out her fur. "I barely slept at all last night!"

Swiftpaw rolled her eyes. Her sister had been snoring when she'd arrived.

Featherpaw rolled up her nest and dragged it to the nursery, pausing to greet Stormpaw.

"And you?" Rabbitfur asked.

"I'm fine," she mewed. Her pelt prickled in disagreement, but she knew that it would be a lot harder to sneak back to camp if she had to enter the nursery. Besides, she wanted her Clan to take notice of her.

He looked at her doubtfully. "If you say so."

"Brrr, it's cold out here!" Stonepaw announced, showing off as usual by leaping into the air as if attacking the snow. "It's too cold to do any duties, right?"

Rabbitfur nudged him good-naturedly. "Come on, Stonepaw. There's barely even a chill in the air! You're on the dawn patrol with Swiftpaw, Deerspring and I."

As they padded along the freezing grass, Swiftpaw realised that Rabbitfur wasn't being completely honest. Her paws were already numb with cold and she could see him shivering.

Stonepaw raced on ahead. screeching as some snow landed on his back. He leaped up, clawing at his 'attacker'. Deerspring padded beside Rabbitfur, and Swiftpaw trotted just behind them, the perfect apprentice.

Rabbitfur flicked his tail and she padded up to him.

"Yes?" she asked respectfully.

"Stop putting on the "perfect apprentice" act, please." he mewed in amusement.

"I'm not!" she mewed, her fur bristling with embarrassment. "Stop lying!"

"There's my old Swiftpaw," he purred, cuffing her gently on her ear. Deerspring watched, her whiskers twitching in amusement. Even Stonepaw came to see what was happening.

"Well, the ShadowClan border is quiet...I wonder, nobody has seen any ShadowClan cats since the Gathering...I wonder if they're alright." Rabbitfur mewed, but Swiftpaw cut in.

"It isn't our business."

Rabbitfur gave her a doubtful glance but said nothing more. Swiftpaw ducked her head so that they wouldn't see that she knew something...her mind whirled as she pictured Adderpaw. He seemed alright; no, he seemed well-fed. Like they had too much prey, even. He gave her that huge rat...

"Speaking of ShadowClan, Sootflash told me that you caught a huge rat on the ShadowClan border?" Rabbitfur asked.

She ducked her head again. "I guess,"

"That isn't like ShadowClan...normally they'd have taken all the rats for themselves. They definitely wouldn't let rats take over their territory," Deerspring mewed in worry, for once worried about another Clan.

"We'll report this to Stormstar," Rabbitfur decided. "Come on, we should check the RiverClan border."

They returned to camp with more bad news. The RiverClan border was quiet. The scent markers were old, and the wind whistled eerily over the river's surface.

"That's it. Something's wrong." Rabbitfur hissed, racing into camp. "Stormstar!"

"Hmm?" Stormstar asked, and Rabbitfur murmured to her. Her eyes widened and she summoned the rest of the patrol. She took them to a quiet gorse bush just outside camp and made them all squirm under it. Rabbitfur relayed what had happened.

"Stonepaw, did you notice anything odd?"

"No..." he murmured, for once lost for words as his Clan leader spoke to him as if he were a warrior.

"Very well. Deerspring?"

"ShadowClan's border was filled with the scent of prey. My guess is that they haven't been hunting...at least, anywhere near there."

"Rabbitfur and I will discuss this. Stonepaw, Deerspring...Swiftpaw, you can leave."

Swiftpaw was startled by the anger in Stormstar's gaze. She didn't seem to like Swiftpaw that much...

"Swiftpaw!" Sootflash called. Woolpaw sat beside him, avoiding her gaze. Her heart sank. _Tunnels..._

She padded slowly over to them.

"We're going to the tunnels. Rabbitfur seems busy, so I offered to take you."

Swiftpaw noticed how many cats were watching the gorse bush that Stormstar and Rabbitfur were talking beneath and were whispering among themselves.

"All right," she mewed disagreeably.

The icy chill bit into her fur and for the first time ever, she was looking forward to escaping the wind. When they reached the entrance to the tunnels, she shivered before plunging into the darkness. It smelled like damp soil and trapped air, but Sootflash breathed out as though it was the best place ever. Woolpaw exchanged nervous looks with Swiftpaw before running ahead of her to catch up with Sootflash. She also hurried up, but ignored Sootflash as he explained how the tunnels were made. He pointed out some long-dead plant and a pile of old boulders that were shoring up one wall. He also explained how they hunted there, but she didn't care and completely ignored him, ears pricked for the slightest indication of a land-slide. She knew that many cats had died in land-slides, especially in bad weather, and she didn't feel safe.

"Patrol ahead," she warned, but Sootflash silenced her with a look.

"I know," he muttered in her ear. "Hey, Firespark, Sandburrow." he greeted cheerfully.

"Hey," Firespark mewed, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"You shouldn't be in here with two apprentices," Sandburrow mewed. "There's been a land-slide by the old badger den, but nobody was hurt. We're on our way to patch it up."

"Could we come?" Sootflash asked in excitement, betraying the fact that Sandburrow had been his mentor.

She glanced at Swiftpaw and Woolpaw. "I suppose, but they have to do whatever I say."

Woolpaw flicked his tail. "Are you sure nobody was there?"

"There were no patrols, and I think I'd know if there was a cat there. If a cat is missing, they're probably stuck behind the land-slide. Of course, any cat with any knowledge of the tunnels would know about the exit near the Twoleg barn, and would escape through there." Firespark said unexpectedly.

Swiftpaw hissed in frustration. She just wanted to get out of the tunnels, now.

"Well, let's get going." Sandburrow mewed, glaring at Sootflash.

"We're going to need some roots and a couple of those big boulders that you found in the tunnel next to it," Firespark mewed. "I think we should break through the tunnel walls and roll the boulders through. We already have that collection of roots pretty close by."

Sandburrow nodded in agreement. "I'll go fetch the roots with Woolpaw. Meet you at the land-slide."

They continued in silence, and Swiftpaw began to pant. She needed to get out of the tunnels. The air was stuffy and she couldn't breathe properly. Sootflash noticed her panting and nudged Firespark.

"Do you want some fresh air?" Firespark mewed kindly. She could only gasp. _Finally!_

He led them through so many tunnels that even Sootflash began to look confused. Finally, she smelled fresh air and she opened her mouth to take it in faster. In between gulps of air, she asked, "Where is it coming from?", hoping that there was an exit nearby.

"Look," Sootflash mewed, pointing his muzzle upwards.

There was a tiny hole above them, with sunlight shining through. Swiftpaw went weak with disappointment.

"Thanks," she mewed ungraciously. Sootflash glared at her but said nothing, and they continued walking.

Eventually, they reached the land-slide. Sandburrow and Woolpaw were already shoring up the mud with roots, blocking the tunnel off forever.

"It isn't a useful tunnel," Sootflash mewed. "So it isn't worth fixing."

"We're finished," Sandburrow mewed, stepping back to inspect their work. "Come on, we need those boulders."

Sootflash and Firespark immediately ran to a section of the wall and began digging together, shoving the dirt backward with their forelegs. Sandburrow began scooping the dirt to the sides, using some to reinforce the walls and some to help hold the roots in place.

Sighing, Swiftpaw ran up to join Sandburrow with Woolpaw. A spattering of dirt landed on her face and she spent a moment blinking, trying to get the dirt out of her eyes. Her pelt was filthy, and it was with deep regret that she continued to help them.

Eventually, Sootflash sat back on his haunches. "That should be good."

Firespark eyed the tunnel cautiously. "Not for long."

"Well then let's hurry!" Woolpaw mewed, bouncing down the tunnel.

Swiftpaw joined him, entering a much cooler tunnel. The air felt fresh, and she realised that it was lighter. She could easily make out a huge pile of boulders in a small cave beside the new tunnel, and she and Woolpaw headed there. Sandburrow, Firespark and Sootflash joined them and began shoving a slightly smaller boulder. With a mew of delight, Woolpaw joined them, his curly fur matted with dirt. Swiftpaw ran up to help, but found herself pushed aside.

"No room," grunted Firespark, shoving the boulder. Slowly but surely, it was rolling towards the old tunnel-and the land-slide.

Swiftpaw ran on ahead, determined to help, but finding nothing to do. She was turning back to try to help when she heard a small mew and a croaky voice.

"It's okay. I...know the way out," mewed a familiar voice, racked with coughs.

"I'm scared."

 _Falconfeather! Stormpaw!_

She squinted at the pile of mud, rocks and roots. She could see a gap...she thought about going back and asking for help but she was the only one small enough to fit through the hole. With a grunt, she squirmed through.

With a gasp of shock, she realised that she was in pitch darkness.

"Hello?" she called cautiously.

"Who's there?" asked Stormpaw in fright, his voice trembling.

"It's just me. Swiftpaw."

"Hello, young 'un. Think you could get us out?" Falconfeather rasped.

"Well, Sandburrow, Firespark and Sootflash are shoring up the land-slide with Woolpaw."

"What?! We have to hurry!" Stormpaw mewed, panicking. Swiftpaw could just make out the glint of his striking blue eyes.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because we won't be able to get out!" Stormpaw mewed in horror. Swiftpaw gasped in shock as she realised what he was implying.

"Hang on," she mewed, running back to the land-slide.

"Sootflash? Woolpaw?" she called, her voice rising in panic as she realised that they couldn't hear her. Her voice was hoarse from all the dirt...

"Where's Swiftpaw?" Firespark was saying.

"I think she went on ahead of us. She didn't seem to like the tunnels." Sootflash mewed in worry. "I hope she doesn't get lost."

"Didn't you tell her that tunnels leading upwards lead to the moor?" Sandburrow mewed, panic in her mew.

Sootflash sounded uncertain. "Yes, but I don't know if she was listening..."

Up until then, Woolpaw had stayed silent. "What if she got lost? Or what if...what if she got caught in a land-slide?!"

Swiftpaw tried to shout out, but her voice came out as a rasp.

"She'll be fine. Tell you what, we'll send a patrol down later to find her _if_ she isn't back at camp when we get there, alright?" Sootflash mewed, though he also sounded very worried.

Despite Swiftpaw's attempts to communicate to them, she heard the patrol move away. _No! Come back!_

She padded slowly back to Stormpaw and Falconfeather.

Stormpaw looked up hopefully, but she just shook her head and sank down besides them.

"Don't be _ridiculous_." Falconfeather snapped. "The air is _fine_ here, it is an upwards leading tunnel, after all."

Swiftpaw gasped. _How had Falconfeather forgotten? He used to be the Clans best tunneler! Firespark said that the tunnel leads out near the Twoleg barn, and Sootflash said that upwards leading tunnels head to the moor!_

"Come on!" she called in excitement. Stormpaw jumped up.

"Do you know the way out?" he asked.

"Maybe," she mewed. "Come on, Falconfeather!"

"Leave me alone," he muttered. "I want to die comfortable and resting, not dashing around these tunnels that used to be my prison."

Swiftpaw was curious about what the old tom said, she had thought that every tunneler liked the tunnels. Nevertheless, she hustled him up the tunnels.

After a while, she could make out the faint line of Stormpaw's pricked ears and the air became fresher. Then she heard the sound of the wind, and a dog barking.

"Careful," she hissed, as they came around a bend and saw the exit. They crept forward and out of the tunnel, blinking in the sudden sunlight. Just ahead of them was the Twoleg barn, and she could see the dog there. Luckily, it was tethered to something, and it hadn't caught their scent. Slowly, they began to make their way back to camp.

"Swiftpaw! Stormpaw! Falconfeather!" mewed cats in surprise and delight as they staggered into the camp. Woolpaw rushed up to them.

"Swiftpaw! You're okay!"

He was followed by Featherpaw, Stonepaw, Bluepaw and Grasspaw. Sootflash came up to Swiftpaw and nuzzled her, and Whitepetal ran over to Stormpaw, almost knocking him over in delight. Even Stormstar, in a rare moment of affection, helped Falconfeather back to his den with Deersping, the two of them asking their father what he'd been doing. When Stormstar got back, she told Stormpaw and Swiftpaw that they were confined to camp for a few days, and then she left.

Shocked, Swiftpaw tried to protest, but Sootflash silenced her.

"I'm glad you're okay," he told her.

Still annoyed that she'd been abandoned, she pushed past him, feeling a twinge of regret as she saw the hurt look on his face. She ignored Woolpaw, and padded to her nest. Stormpaw followed her.

"Thanks for rescuing us," he mewed. She waited for him to say more, but he didn't, and eventually, he just turned and left.

She lay in her nest for a while that night, colder than usual because she was alone, before a few flakes of snow began to fall. Growling softly to herself, she eased herself out of her nest and tip-toed over the other cats until she reached the camp exit. She was about to plunge into the heather when a tall shape slid in front of her.

"Where are you going?" hissed Stormstar, her gorse-green eyes flashing with anger. "I confined you to camp!"

"I-I was just going hunting..." Swiftpaw mewed.

"Oh, alright," mewed Stormstar sarcastically. "In the middle of the night? When it's _snowing_?!"

"I...I was cold...I wanted to warm up..." Swiftpaw mewed, thinking desperately for a better excuse.

"Just like every other night, hmm?" Stormstar growled.

Swiftpaw's heart thudded. "Yes."

She cursed herself inwards. _Mouse-brain!_ "I mean, I go hunting at night-time...when it's quieter..."

"But you always bring back _ShadowClan_ prey?!" Stormstar snarled.

"What?" she asked, genuinely confused. _Echowhisper brings me something to eat, and Adderpaw brings me stuff to bring back..._

"You're banned from going anywhere _near_ the ShadowClan border. No more border patrols, and no Gatherings. If you want to go hunting, you need to be in a group with at least one warrior." Stormstar bared her teeth. "No ShadowClan apprentices _or_ warriors."

 _What is wrong with_ her? Swiftpaw wondered. "Why?"

"I will _not_ have disloyal cats in WindClan. But fine. If you want, you can join ShadowClan."

"What? No! I'm loyal to WindClan, and no other Clan or Clan cat!"

"Fine," hissed Stormstar, her lip curling in disgust. "But I'm warning you, this is your last chance!"

"Can I go hunting?"

"StarClan knows the Clan needs fresh-kill. Very well, but you'd better bring something back. And don't stay out too late!" Stormstar spat, flicking Swiftpaw hard on the cheek with her tail as she left.

Swiftpaw raced over the moor, paws thudding on the springy grass. She collapsed as she arrived in Fourtrees, completely out of breath.

"Swiftpaw!" Adderpaw called. "You're late!"

"What happened?" Echowhisper murmured, her creepy eyes glinting in the moonlight. Swiftpaw shuddered.

"Stormstar." she mewed through ice-cold teeth.

"What?" Adderpaw exclaimed when she'd finished. "What a crazy old toad!"

"Hey! She just misunderstood!" Swiftpaw hissed, springing up to defend her leader.

Adderpaw curled his lip but said no more.

"I brought you this." he mewed, shoving a rat at her. "But now you can't take it back..."

"I can eat it," she mewed, gulping it down. Echowhisper flicked her tail as she waited for Swiftpaw to finish.

"I brought this. You can bring it to your Clan."

Swiftpaw mewed her thanks as she examined the rabbit. It didn't smell like ThunderClan. Echowhisper had obviously rubbed it in the WindClan scent markers, just like Adderpaw did with his prey.

Muddypelt growled. "At least _one_ Clan doesn't rely on gifts."

"Neither does ShadowClan! Or ThunderClan!" spat Adderpaw. "We have _too much_ prey. You have _just enough_. Our Clans are stronger than yours!"

Swiftpaw shifted uncomfortably. It was obvious that Adderpaw and Muddypelt disliked each other, but...this was too much.

"Enough!" Echowhisper mewed. "We should be training."

Swiftpaw broke in. "Have you been told who to bring?"

"Nah." Adderpaw mewed, purposefully flicking his tail into Muddypelt's eyes. With a screech of rage, Muddypelt leaped at him.

Swiftpaw gasped as the two tussled. They were drawing blood! Of course, Mapleshade told them to train with claws unsheathed, but this looked like a real battle! She leaped at Adderpaw and crashed down on him, dragging him away from Muddypelt. Echowhisper did the same with Muddypelt. Both toms were panting heavily, glaring at each other with hatred. Muddypelt had a puffy eye, and Adderpaw had a bad-looking cut on his leg, as well as others nicks and grazes.

"Fur-balls." Echowhisper hissed.

"Let's get back to our camps!" Swiftpaw mewed, noticing the sounds of birds had come back, having briefly disappeared during the fight. "Cats might hear what happened."

"Don't be ridiculous." snapped Adderpaw. "Our camps are far away!" he sounded less certain as he added, "anyway, they shouldn't notice that we were gone..."

"Bye," Echowhisper called over her shoulder, running easily up the bank towards ThunderClan. Muddypelt hissed and ran for RiverClan, slipping into the river. Adderpaw shook himself and took a step.

"Ow, my shoulder." he hissed in pain.

Swiftpaw grimaced as she examined it. It looked sort of like what Dawnmist's leg looked like when she dislocated it.

"You should see a medicine cat," she mewed in worry.

"Can't. She'd ask what happened," he grunted.

Swiftpaw felt a flash of fury towards Muddypelt and Echowhisper for just leaving, but she told herself that they weren't expecting this.

"You have to. Pretend that you tried to chase a squirrel up a tree and fell, or something."

"And all the scratches and scars from before?" he growled.

Swiftpaw was at a loss for words. "I don't know. It can't hurt to tell her, can it?"

"Mapleshade made us swear to secrecy!" he growled at her. "I'm fine! I can get home!"

He shoved her away from him and began to limp slowly towards ShadowClan, his grunts of pain clearly audible.

"No! I can help! Lean on me!" she called, running up to him, but he rounded on her.

"Just leave me alone! I'm fine!" he spat through gritted teeth. He clawed her with unsheathed claws, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to hurt. She watched in shock as he limped away.

Turning, her tail down, she walked back to WindClan, only just remembering in time to fetch the rabbit. She approached camp.

"Swiftpaw!" Stormpaw called from the entrance. "Come join our patrol!"

She hissed, wanting to sleep, but she sat beside him and waited for the leader of the patrol.

"Nice catch," he commented on her rabbit. "But why do you smell like ShadowClan?"

Growling, she began to groom herself. "I crossed the border by mistake when I chased the rabbit."

He mrrowed in amusement. "Lucky you weren't caught."

"Yeah."

She finished grooming herself, assured by Stormpaw that she didn't smell like ShadowClan, and after depositing her rabbit she joined the hunting patrol.

Adderpaw's POV:

He tripped over an old branch and fell into filthy water. Struggling through plants, he surfaced and continued to walk through the mud, furious with himself for choosing to go through the flooded marsh. It was the shortest way to camp, but the hardest. He wished he'd accepted Swiftpaw's help now. Every step sent stabs of pain shooting through his leg, and when a frog hopped over his leg he ignored it. He wasn't even halfway to camp, and he was already covered in foul-smelling water, mud and plants.

Just when nothing could get worse, he heard a voice ahead. "I see something!"

He shivered. _Marshpelt_!

"It's probably just a rat." Hollyberry mewed calmly.

Adderpaw cursed himself. He _knew_ that there were night patrols at the moment, practicing ambush. He _knew_ not to make so much noise! He shivered and crept past them, relieved as he finally made it back to camp. He was about to slip in when a thought struck him. _I'm covered in mud and limping. I need a reason._

Hissing, he walked slowly towards Carrion-place and, to his relief, managed to catch a large, injured rat. He limped back to camp and slipped in.

"Adderpaw!" gasped Foxfur. "Where were you? Are you alright? We were meant to go on the night patrol with Marshpelt and Hollyberry but I couldn't find you..."

"I went hunting because I couldn't sleep and this filthy rat attacked me and knocked me against a fallen tree...in the mud." he hissed, the lie slipping easily from his mouth.

"I think I hurt my leg badly though," he added.

"Oh, you poor thing!" gasped Hollyberry.

"I'll get Crowflash!" Fernpaw mewed, while Vinepaw brushed against Adderpaw.

Leaning into his brother, Adderpaw realised that his Clan could be very caring, even if they didn't often show it.

"Great catch," commented Foxfur as he licked Adderpaw's head. "Oh, ew," he added, as the marsh-water filled his mouth.

Crowflash darted up to him. "You've dislocated your leg," she explained. "I need to pop it back into place, but it'll hurt."

He gritted his teeth. "Get on with it," he growled, rude in his pain.

"I'll need some poppy seeds, some comfrey and a stick." Crowflash murmured.

"I'll get the herbs!" Fernpaw mewed.

"I'll find a stick," Vinepaw added.

Blinking gratefully at his littermates, Adderpaw settled himself down on the ground as Crowflash crouched over him. Fernpaw came hurrying back and dropped a bundle of herbs at Crowflash's feet.

"I didn't know what comfrey looks like, so I brought a few of every leaf." Fernpaw blinked nervously, but Crowflash purred.

"This is comfrey," she said, pawing a few leaves towards her.

"Is this stick fine?" Vinepaw mewed, racing up to them and skidding to a halt with a sturdy oak twig in his jaws.

Crowflash didn't respond, just grabbed the stick and deftly aligned Adderpaw's leg. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look as she wrapped his leg in leaves and propped it up with the twig. _Any moment now..._ a flash of pain jerked through him. He twisted, trying to attack Crowflash. She hurt his leg! She made it worse!

Vinepaw held him down as Crowflash checked his thrashing leg.

"Let him up," she murmured to Vinepaw, who stepped off of Adderpaw. He sprang up and found, to his amazement, that he could stand on his sore leg. Gingerly, he stepped forward. His leg throbbed, but the pain was dull, and it was supporting his weight.

"Thank you!" he gasped, but she blocked his way to his nest.

"You're bleeding. What happened?" she asked, sniffing his cuts.

"Oh...a...err, a rat attacked me. I brought it back though," he mewed, motioning to the rat with his tail. "And I fell against a tree and hurt my leg."

She didn't look convinced. "The cuts look too deep to be just rat bites," she mewed softly.

"Rats have very sharp claws, sharper than a badgers!" he attempted to joke, but she shook her head disbelievingly.

"Come, I'll put something on them."

He padded beside her to her den, trying not to wince as he walked on his sore leg.

Crowflash chewed up some leaves which Adderpaw recognised as marigold. She spread them over his cuts, rubbing his fur gently so that she could see them properly. Her paws found their way to a recent scar on his belly from a vicious training fight with Mapleshade, and he heard a sharp intake of breath from her.

"What?" he asked, twisting around to see the wound.

It was an angry red colour, but it seemed to be healing.

"What?" he repeated.

"Did Foxfur do that?" she asked him quietly.

"What? No!" he exclaimed.

"Oh," she said, taken-aback. "How did you get it?"

"I..err, a rat attacked me." he mewed, hoping she didn't start to get suspicious with all his rat stories.

"A rat," she repeated, unconvinced. "And why didn't you tell me?"

"I...didn't know it was this bad."

"Well," she sighed. "You'd better take some poppy seeds. And Adderpaw?"

"Yes?"

"You can trust me, you know. I'm your medicine cat. You can always come talk to me if something is worrying you." she mewed, putting some small, black seeds onto a leaf.

"Here you go. Take one now, and another one if you can't sleep later," she added, giving them to him.

Swiftly, he padded out of the den, wincing as his leg was jolted. He brushed past Fernpaw and Vinepaw and headed to his nest, even though it wasn't dark yet.

He heard a cat walk in and he pretended to be asleep.

"Adderpaw?" asked Fernpaw. He ignored her. "Adderpaw?" she repeated, and with an exaggerated sigh, he rolled over.

"Yeah?"

"You're meant to come on the night patrol with me to make up for the ones you've missed, but Crowflash excused you from it. Goodnight." she mewed, walking back out but pausing briefly to rest her muzzle against his head. "I hope you feel better in the morning."

It felt like only moments later when Vinepaw walked in, Slightpaw behind him. Slightpaw growled at Vinepaw and lashed her tail before storming off to her nest.

"Adderpaw?" Vinepaw mewed softly. "Can I talk to you?"

"What?" Adderpaw asked irritably.

"Somewhere..." Vinepaw glanced at Slightpaw, "private."

Sighing, Adderpaw got up and followed Vinepaw to the camp entrance. They greeted Hollyberry, who was on guard, and padded outside before she could ask them what they were doing. They walked in silence until they reached the edge of the marsh. Blinking nervously, Vinepaw began.

"When you saved me from the rats, you used some moves I've never seen before. You always seem to do so well in battle-training, and I was wondering...well, I was wondering if you could teach me." Vinepaw said, the last words coming out in a rush. "I mean, it's fine if you don't want to but I could really use the extra training and I want to be the best warrior ever and...sorry."

Adderpaw's mind spun. _What do I say_? "I'll think about it." he mewed after a while.

Vinepaw sounded relieved. "Thanks, Adderpaw." he mewed gratefully.

Huffing with annoyance, Adderpaw limped back to camp, ignoring Vinepaw's hurt look when Adderpaw brushed past him.

He crept into his nest and ignored Vinepaw when he came in a bit later.

Soon afterward, Adderpaw dreamt his way into the Dark Forest.

"Mapleshade!" he called.

"What?" she hissed from behind him, the patches of white on her pelt stark against the bushes. "Is it about that mangy furball Vinepaw?"

"Hey!" Adderpaw mewed defiantly. "He isn't a mangy furball! You are!"

He turned to leave, but her thick pelt blocked his way. "Be careful, little one," she growled. Her mood changed suddenly. "Do you think he'd do well?"

Adderpaw was taken aback by the question. "He...he could." he mewed.

"Good." she purred, a rusty noise that made her seem like a kind old elder. "Collect him and the others and take them to Fourtrees to meet the others at half-moon, which is, let me see...in a few sunrises."

"Others?" Adderpaw asked hesitantly.

"You'll see."

And then she was gone, and he was fading back to his ShadowClan nest...

He woke up, and it was still dark. Grumpily, he glanced at his denmates. Fernpaw twitched slightly in her sleep, as though she was hunting in her dreams, but Vinepaw lay still. Adderpaw cringed as he heard faint snores comig from his brother. Finally, he moved his gaze over to Slightpaw. The apprentice writhed silently in her den, her ears flattened to the side of her head. Adderpaw guessed that she was reliving the torture that she'd gone through with the rogues. She cried out and twisted her leg around, as though it was broken again. Her mouth was open and it felt to Adderpaw as though she was begging him to help, but he didn't know what to do.

Slightpaw hadn't always been like this. Adderpaw remembered when they were kits. She was called Ravenkit then, and she was the friendliest cat in the whole Clan. On her first day as an apprentice, she'd gone out to explore the territory by herself. She hadn't come back, and the Clan had later learned that she had met a group of rogues. When she told them that she was from ShadowClan, they kidnapped her to find out ShadowClan's secrets. They'd wanted to take over the carrion-place, and Ravenpaw had told them that it was filled with prey. One night she'd crept up behind them talking, meaning to join in, when she heard that they wanted to take ShadowClan land. She'd kept silent from then on, and the rogues had tortured her. They'd broken her paw and then abandoned her. She had dragged herself to RiverClan and they had taken her in and nursed her back to health, before sending her back to ShadowClan. She'd been renamed to Slightpaw. She's adopted her angry attitude from then on, and she didn't forgive easily. She'd once told Adderpaw that if she forgave everyone, it would be like forgiving the rogues.

As he walked by, he touched the tip of his tail to her shoulder. _Poor Slightpaw_.

He padded out of the den, thinking to himself. _Vinepaw_. _Who else is coming_? There were only a handful of ShadowClan cats that he liked. _Foxfur, Silvershadow, Smokefeather_...

As he thought this, a beautiful grey feather spiraled down from the pine tree above him. He sat and watched it make its way slowly to the ground. _Smoky feather. Smokefeather_! Maybe Mapleshade was sending him omens! Eyes wide with excitement, he ran around the camp, looking for more omens.

A mewl from the nursery stopped him.

"I'm hungry!" wailed a kit.

"Shh! I'll get you something!" Sparrowshine hissed, and Adderpaw guessed that she had cuffed her kit gently when he heard the wailing stop. Huffing with irritation, he padded to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a small mouse. His lip wrinkled in disgust as a spider crawled along it, and with a whimper, he flicked it off. He padded into the nursery.

"Here," he mewed softly, surprised to see gratitude flash in Sparrowshine's eyes.

Spiderkit ran up to Adderpaw. "Thank you!" he mewed. Suddenly, another spider scuttled past Adderpaw. He leapt back in fright, but Spiderkit began chasing it. _It's an omen._ Adderpaw realised. _Spiderkit_.

 _Vinepaw, Smokeshadow and Spiderkit_. He padded to the fresh-kill pile to get more prey for himself, and he spotted a small rivulet of dirty grey water coming from behind the warriors den. It had a chalky texture, but the ground there was overgrown. _Another omen! Cindercreek_!

He picked up a frog and bit into it, thinking. He glanced down at his shadow. It seemed bigger than usual, and it glowed silver. _Silvershadow_! Frog forgotten, he began to search for more omens.

Dawn came, and he hadn't found any more. His paws were dropping with exhaustion, but his mind was whirring.

When Vinepaw left the den, he ran over to Adderpaw.

"Well?" he asked eagerly.

"Sure, why not," Adderpaw replied. "Meet me by the carrion-place."

He had thought about it, and he decided that he wouldn't take Spiderkit yet. Sparrowshine was obviously more protective of him than her other kits, but he didn't know why.

He sidled up to Silvershadow. "Silvershadow, could you please ask Smokefeather and Cindercreek to meet me at the carrion-place, and could you please come too?"

Silvershadow mrrowed with amusement. "Sure."

Echowhisper's POV:

Tiredness pulled at her paws, but she couldn't go to her nest. Not if Mapleshade was going to come. She didn't even want to go to training at Fourtrees. She just wanted to sleep.

"Echowhisper!" Reedfall called. "Could you go on a hunting patrol?"

She nodded, before turning away.

 _Mapeshade wants me to destroy ThunderClan and then take over. What if it's for the best_? She wrenched her mind from those thoughts. _No! She's trying to manipulate you, to get revenge! It's about her, not me_!

She was so immersed in her thoughts that she crashed right into Birdclaw.

Birdclaw hissed and turned away.

 _Is he still mad_? Echowhisper thought, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Echowhisper?" Reedfall called again.

"What?" she snapped, instantly regretting it as his eyes widened in shock.

"Maybe you shouldn't go on patrol. Go see Thistlelight." he said coldly.

"Maybe I will." she said, equally coldly. She turned and headed to the medicine cats den, ignoring the mutters behind her. _Way to go. They'd never want you as their leader now_! She growled. _Just like they won't want you as their leader if you destroy the Clan_. Suddenly, she sagged. Thistlelight wasn't there, so she sat with her shoulders hunched until he got back.

"Echowhisper?" he asked quietly. When she ignored him, he continued. "I heard what happened. Are you putting too much pressure on yourself?"

She shook her head, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the ground.

"Reedfall was just trying to help, you know." he added. "Maybe you just need some poppy seeds and thyme."

After Thistlelight disappeared into his herb store, Gooseleg sided up to Echowhisper. "Here." he whispered.

She glanced down. Gooey, sticky honey. It wasn't a lot, so she licked up a small bit, and it slid down her throat. "Thanks." she mewed, shoving it quickly out of sight as Thistlelight came back. She lapped up the herbs and mewed a quick goodbye, taking the honey with her.

The warrior's den was empty and she finished her honey in peace. After the poppy seeds, she decided to risk sleeping. Maybe Mapleshade wouldn't come.

She woke up at dawn the next day. _How did that happen_? She hadn't expected such a long sleep, or such a dream-free one. She stretched, arching her back. The sleep had helped; she felt a lot better.

"You're finally awake." Reedfall mewed, his whiskers twitching in amusement. He had obviously forgiven Echowhisper.

"Sorry...for yesterday." she mewed quietly.

"It's alright," he said, resting his tail tip on her back to show his understanding. "I could tell you didn't feel well. Do you feel better?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Well, then you're on the dawn patrol," he said briskly.

She pretended to look hurt. "Why?"

He shoved her. "Go, they're leaving!"

She left the den just to walk straight into Shadepaw. Hissing in annoyance, she brushed past her and reached the tunnel entrance just in time to join the patrol.

Twigpaw's POV:

Ashbark was out hunting, so she had the morning off. She glanced at Shadepaw.

"Psst!" she called. Shadepaw turned around and looked at her questioningly. "Come!"

Shadepaw padded over. "What?"

"Let's spy on Redpaw!"

"No!"

"It'll be fun! And you're so good at stalking!" wheedled Twigpaw, and finally Shadepaw gave in.

"Oh, alright." Shadepaw mewed, relenting.

They followed Redpaw for a good amount of time, but he did nothing interesting.

"Okay, let's stop now." Twigpaw announced. Shadepaw stopped and turned, but bumped into Echowhisper, who hissed at her.

Shadepaw flattened her ears and crawled to Twigpaw, who glared at Echowhisper until she left the camp.

"She's such a furball!" exclaimed Twigpaw. She flicked her tail. "She might as well be a ShadowClan cat!"

Shadepaw widened her eyes in warning, but it was too late.

"Twigpaw!" Rosethorn said sternly. " _What_ gives you the right to comment on your Clanmate like that...my sister."

Gulping, Twigpaw backed away. "Sorry," she muttered.

Muddypelt's POV:

Glancing around nervously, he swam over the river to Sunningrocks. He climbed a tree, grateful for Mapleshade's tree-climbing lessons, and waited. Before long, he heard Echowhisper.

"Psst! Echowhisper!" he called softly. Her sharp ears caught his voice but she ignored him. Grumbling to himself, he tried again. And again.

The patrol moved on, leaving him feeling wretched.

"What in the name of StarClan were you doing?!" Echowhisper exclaimed, clawing her way up the tree. "I heard you the first time! My _patrol_ could have heard!"

"Oh," he said, relief in his eyes. "I thought you were ignoring me."

She nudged him just hard enough to make the branch sway, though her eyes stayed cold. He supposed they always looked like that, being blind and all.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Well...Ripplestar wants Sunningrocks and the land beside it." Muddypelt admitted, his fur tingling.

"What?! Sunningrocks is ThunderClan's, and that land is ours too!" her gaze narrowed. "Does he want _you_ to take them?"

"He doesn't know I'm here. But yes, he does want me to. That's why I had to warn you. RiverClan...RiverClan is suffering. We don't have much prey, and what we find is weak. We _need_ more land, but this is the wrong way to get it, and Ripplestar won't change his mind!" he said squeakily, not caring if his voice sounded like a kit's. "And the Clan agrees with him!"

Echowhisper's gaze looked thoughtful. _It can't, she's blind_. He reminded himself.

"I'll see what I can do." she mewed, jerking him back to reality. She drew her lips back in a snarl. "This is ThunderClan land. I appreciate your warning. Now go."

He nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see, and ran back to the river, slipping in. He shook out his fur on the other side and padded for camp, grabbing his trout on the way.

Echowhisper's POV:

She raced back to camp, before realizing that she couldn't just _announce_ another Clan's battle plan.

She took a deep breath as she stepped into the camp, and made up her mind.

"Runningstar?" she called, brushing against the lichen outside his den.

"Echowhisper?" he replied. "Come in."

She padded in and ducked her head. "I...I think that we should do more battle training."

"Why? Have you heard rumours of a battle?" he asked, sitting upright.

"I..." _Should I tell him_? "No. But the Clans have been at peace for so long..."

"They can stay at peace. I need to focus on building up ThunderClan's strength, and now that new-leaf is coming, we should be focusing on fresh-kill," he said sternly.

"But..."

"Go join a hunting patrol," he told her. "And leave the worrying to me. Nobody wants to fight at the moment."

Gently, he touched his nose to her shoulder. "How are you?"

"Fine," she said, turning and leaving.

 _He didn't believe me. RiverClan will beat us_. She didn't really know _why_ he couldn't know that Muddypelt told her, but she knew that it was important.

"Echowhisper!" Swiftpaw called, racing up to her. "Who'd you bring?"

Echowhisper jerked to a halt. _Of course. Mapleshade was ending trainees from the other Clans. How could I forget_?

"Uh, nobody," she said nervously.

"I wonder why." Adderpaw mewed, coming up. He gave her a hard stare. "Maybe there isn't anyone in ThunderClan worth training." Adderpaw seemed to respect Echowhisper, but he was too quick to scorn ThunderClan.

"Or maybe," Muddypelt growled. "She didn't trust Echowhisper enough to tell her."

"Hey!" Swiftpaw hissed. "Maybe she trust Echowhisper enough to train for her whole Clan, or maybe the ThunderClan cats are more powerful than everyone else!"

"Are you saying you want to be a _ThunderClan_ cat?!" Adderpaw demanded.

Swiftpaw ducked her head in embarrassment, but her tone remained firm. "No! I'm just saying...you might be wrong."

"And we might be right," Muddypelt growled.

"Can someone tell me what is going on?!" screeched a small WindClan apprentice.

Echowhisper ignored the apprentice, her mind whirling. She picked up new scents, scents from every Clan except her own. Mapleshade betrayed her...and so did Adderpaw. He'd been kind to her, or at least polite. They'd been united against Muddypelt...but Muddypelt had warned her of the battle...they were like a family, a family that argued and squabbled but that protected its own...and now it was being broken up.

"This is Echowhisper. She's one of my best friends." Swiftpaw mewed, and the WindClan apprentice sniffed. Echowhisper felt touched by Swiftpaw's kindness.

"I thought _I_ was your best friend!" the apprentice growled.

"Keep quiet, Stormpaw. Know your place. We were the original trainees." Adderpaw growled.

"Who are you?" squeaked a small kitten. Echowhisper smelled a fishy tang in the air. _RiverClan_.

"Breezekit, just wait!" Muddypelt growled. _Kit_?

"Why did you bring a kit?" Adderpaw demanded, echoing her thoughts.

"I had a sign."

"I had a sign for Spiderkit; doesn't mean I brought him."

"Enough!" spat a tall ShadowClan warrior. "Adderpaw, just introduce everyone already!"

Grumbling, Adderpaw began to bossily line up all the new trainees.

"This is Silvershadow, Cindercreek, Smokefeather and Vinepaw of ShadowClan," Adderpaw announced.

"Firespark, Dustflash and Stormpaw from WindClan," mewed Swiftpaw.

"From RiverClan we have Lightheart and Fishleap, as well as Breezekit," Muddypelt growled.

"Well, now that you all know each other..." hissed a familiar voice, "you might as well begin."

"Mapleshade?!" exclaimed Swiftpaw. "What are you doing here?"

Echowhisper signalled frantically to Swiftpaw, but she was too late.

"What am _I_ doing here?" snarled Mapleshade. "I am in charge!"

Swiftpaw ducked her head. "Sorry," she muttered.

"'Sorry' kills no enemies!" Mapleshade hissed, cuffing Swiftpaw hard.

Collective gasps came from the trainees. Not only had Mapleshade hurt Swiftpaw, but the twist she'd put on the well-known saying...a twist that made Echowhisper's heart go cold.

"Maybe we should start training..." muttered Lightheart, while Stormpaw and Adderpaw helped Swiftpaw up.

"How could you!" hissed Adderpaw, leaping at Mapleshade with his claws unsheathed. She batted him away with ease, but was met by a slash from Stormpaw. Bravely, the two apprentices took her on. Echowhisper shook herself out of her daze and ran to the fighting cats.

"Do something!" Swiftpaw cried out as Stormpaw was knocked down. Dustflash and Smokefeather burst into the fray with Echowhisper, Dustflash helping Stormpaw up. Smokefeather and Echowhisper had to wrench Adderpaw away from the fight, and he collapsed, his eyes glazed and his breathing fast and ragged.

"Good." purred Mapleshade.

"Good?!" Muddypelt growled. "I'm going back to RiverClan."

He turned tail and stalked back to the river, Fishleap close on his heels. Lightheart lifted Breezekit into her mouth and followed.

Smokefeather and Cindercreek exchanged glances before joining Silvershadow as they left the clearing. Adderpaw was nowhere to be found.

Swiftpaw grimaced as she was pulled to her feet by Firespark. Dustflash flicked his tail sternly at Stormpaw and the WindClan cats left.

Echowhisper was alone with Mapleshade.

"Well," Mapleshade growled, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Have you considered what I said yet?"

"The answer is still no." Echowhisper mewed, but her tone was less certain.

"'No' to making your Clan strong, to being leader?" Mapleshade said.

"'No' to killing my father and destroying my Clan," Echowhisper growled.

"You would destroy your Clan to make it better!" Mapleshade snarled. "Maybe I was wrong about you...I thought you were strong."

"I am strong! I know I don't need leadership to be strong, that's all!" Echowhisper exclaimed. She knew that Mapleshade was trying to anger her, and it was working.

" _You_ are the weak one! You killed your own kits with your cowardice!" Echowhisper mewed, instantly regretting the words. Mapleshade may be evil, but Echowhisper had seen true sorrow in her eyes when her kits were mentioned.

"Don't. You. Dare. Mention. Them." Mapleshade hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes glinting dangerously. "They were far braver than you could ever be!"

"Look, I'm sorry." Echowhisper mewed, trying to backtrack, but it was too late.

"'Sorry' kills no enemies...and right now, you're the enemy," Mapleshade growled, and Echowhisper knew that Mapleshade was going to kill her.

 _Why was I abandoned? Where are my Clanmates when I need them_?! She thought desperately. _Who are my Clanmates? My ThunderClan Clanmates, or my Dark Forest Clanmates_?

Suddenly, the weight of all her worries threatened to overwhelm her, and she sank to the ground.

Mapleshade let out a caterwaul of triumph, and Echowhisper awaited the blow that would kill her.

It never came.

A yowl of fury erupted above her, and she heard the _thud_ of bodies slamming onto dirt. _Adderpaw_!

She jumped up, determined to help the ShadowClan apprentice, but her muscles felt weak.

"Run!" she heard Adderpaw cry, and she ran blindly to ThunderClan.

She made it over the border, and she whimpered in fright. She crept into a hollow in the roots among a gnarled oak. _What's wrong with me? I'm as weak as a kit_!

Her injured ear throbbed, and her senses picked up every rustle, every noise. She stiffened as she heard the crunch of footsteps. _Mapleshade_!

But the voice that spoke was gentle and worried.

"Echowhisper? Is that you? Are you alright?" Reedfall mewed, nudging her gently.

"Fine..." she murmured sleepily.

"I'll get Thistlelight!" he mewed, running through the trees. She tried to call him back, but it was too late, and she slipped into sleep.

 **The next day...**

"You have some explaining to do." Thistlelight mewed. "Why do you smell of the other Clans?"

"I...I..." she stammered, unable to think of any excuse.

"Echowhisper, I expected better of you," Runningstar growled, his mew tired.

"We were just training!" she blurted out. "I didn't share any Clan secrets! We were just learning how to become better warriors!"

It had been the wrong thing to say.

"Is ThunderClan not good enough for you? Do you want to join ShadowClan...or WindClan? Or even RiverClan?!" Runningstar growled.

"No!"

"Then act like it." he turned and left. Echowhisper was shocked. Her father had never been this cold...

"What really happened?" Thistlelight asked gently, nudging Gooseleg away. "You can tell me. I'm the medicine cat."

"No. I can't tell you." Echowhisper mewed, her voice breaking. "I...I'm sorry, Thistlelight."

"Very well," he said, and he turned and left her alone with her thoughts.

Runningstar's POV:

 _Why had Echowhisper betrayed ThunderClan_? _Have I been a bad father? Does she have difficulties with her Clanmates?_

On the outside, he seemed like a cold leader, but his thoughts matched the description of a worried father.

Finchfeather and Rosethorn, both unable to enter the medicine cats den, had pestered him for information. _'Is she okay?' 'What happened?'_

Finchfeather and Rosethorn...two highly respected ThunderClan warriors...why wasn't Echowhisper like them?"

He knew the answer, deep in his heart. _She never was_.

He'd always known, of course, that she was different. She'd kept to herself as a kit, seemed wise beyond her age and all of her games had seemed to have a purpose. Now, she was simply a confused, angry warrior who didn't know where her loyalties lay. _I used to be like that_.

To put his troubled thoughts aside, he decided to perform the ceremony for Darkkit, Shallowkit and, at long last, Amberkit.

Echowhisper's POV:

She watched with bated breath as Darkkit became Darkpaw, apprenticed to Cedarflame, and Shallowkit was apprenticed to Squirreltail.

 _Please can I get Amberkit. Please can I get Amberkit_. Whatever she said to Mapleshade, she knew that she wanted to be leader, or at least deputy. She wanted to know that her Clan trusted her.

"...Mousepelt. He has shown yourself to be a kind and loyal warrior, and I hope you will pass on all you know to Amberpaw," Runningstar's mew broke through her thoughts. _No!_

Angrily, she pushed through the crowd, not bothering to cheer.

"Echowhisper!" hissed a voice.

"Adderpaw?!" she mewed in shock. "What are you doing here? This is ThunderClan territory!"

"I wanted to speak to you...about what Mapleshade was saying..."

"Yeah..." Echowhisper mewed defensively. "It's none of your business though."

"It is!" he mewed forcefully. "Was she really threatening you to destroy your Clan?"

"Like you'd care. It's make ShadowClan stronger!"

"What don't you get about this?! It isn't Clan versus Clan. _We_ are Clanmates as well. We trained together for how many moons?"

Adderpaw had a point. "I guess you're right." she admitted grudgingly.

"I have a plan." he mewed.

 **ThunderClan:**

Warriors:

Squirreltail (large, fluffy ginger tom, green eyes) bouncy and talkative _(Shallow)_

Mousepelt (small, brown tom with pale gold eyes) boastful but kind _(Amber)_

Cedarflame (dark russet tom with deep green eyes) cranky, sarcstic and solitary _(Dark)_

Apprentices:

Amberpaw (calico she-cat with pale green eyes) shy, nervous, dislikes noise

Shallowpaw (speckled gray-and-white she-cat with pale blue eyes) bouncy, energetic and brave

Darkpaw (black tom with burning amber eyes) sneaky and vicious

 **How was that? No more uploads this month I'm afraid, I'm working on another, related project.**

 **QOTC (Question of the chapter):**

 **Who is your favourite Dark Forest trainee?**

 **Character description for:**

 **Goldenleaf, in ThunderClan. An ordinary backstory.**


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